Red Diamond (Red Book 1)
by Diamond Shyn
Summary: "No second chances in the land of a thousand dances, the valley of ten million insanities." Sabrina's life takes a 180 degree turn when she loses her family and gets adopted into the Asahina clan. Love blossoms, spiced with even more humor and drama, but some deeds cannot always stay buried in the shadows of the past. What happens when truth unfolds? Is blood thicker than water?
1. Chapter 1: The Kapoors

**Red Diamond**

 **(Only this chapter has been re-edited for the sole purpose of humor. No changes have been made to the facts or author's notes.)**

 **HEY AAALLLLL!**

 **I am back! This time, with a new, better story than the ones I wrote before.**

 **Well, I expected some reviews for the trailer but I received none, my bad, but please don't leave me disappointed this time!**

 **I always imagined Bollywood romance in the story while watching its anime. And here, I present to you my new story with Bollywood romance and Indian drama (oh not the melodramatic one!). Stupid me, I couldn't come up with a better name for the story.**

 **Set in New Delhi, India, this is the story of my OC, Sabrina Kapoor. A typical Punjabi girl, raised in a very close knit family of four, faces the tragedy of her life when her family is snatched away from her in an accident. Join her in her peculiar journey of love, hate, friendship, humor, and revenge, with an Indian twist!**

 **I also thought to give you a description of Sabrina – her looks, likes, dislikes, and more. Here you go:**

 **Name: Sabrina Kapoor  
Age: 17  
Appearance: Deep brown wavy hair and eyes, fair complexion, 5 feet 7 inches height, slim, a beauty mark above her right eye.  
Likes (Basically loves): Dancing, coffee, spicy food, snow, sleeping, Michael Jackson, Shah Rukh Khan (Indian cinema's superstar)  
Dislikes: Blood, science, formal and boring gatherings  
Nature: Fun-loving, free-spirited, wild and fiery, aims to be a successful choreographer in Bollywood (Indian cinema industry); usually carries a calm and care-free nature; strong and can beat up anyone easily, ONLY if angered to that extent; always full of energy; nature and animal lover... Oh I can never end the description this way!**

 **Let's get on to the story! It will tell you about Sabrina and her family, her life. Hope you like it!**

 **Disclaimer: Me: Hey, do I own Brothers Conflict?  
Me: No you don't, dumb head. Only the OCs.**

* * *

Chapter 1: The Kapoors

Sabrina's POV

 ** _Intro:_**

So, yes, I'm supposed to begin the story of my life with another beautiful expression like most others do, but nah. My mini-me doesn't agree with me, right? _Yeah! And hi, I'm Sabrina, oh, the Sabrina inside Sabrina!_

I'm here for the intro, and lemme just do my part here... So well, I'm a vampire in reality, who drinks blood and sleeps in coffins, and who is aiming to establish a vampire society with zombie dogs and cats, and monkeys who drink elephants' blood. I have this background theme of ' _Sucker for pain_ ' behind me all the time.

 _Not funny._ Sorry, just joking. I'm Sabrina, a nobody who aims to be a successful choreographer in Bollywood, with zero love life and in search of adventure. But according to my most recent situation, I should say that - Hi, I'm Sabrina, an aspiring dancer, who is now the love interest of her step brothers; and of course, leading a pretty _adventurous_ life.

Wanna know my story? Continue reading the story of my _little_ life. And yeah, before you go...

 _...Vive la vida mientras todavía puedes..._

* * *

Yawning, I opened the curtains of my window. The sun shone brighter, the music sounded sweeter, and the world seemed a happier place. The air around me was refreshing – I felt cool even in the infamous summer of Delhi. All because my parents were going to bring my baby brother, Arnav, back from his boarding school tonight.

I was excited; excited enough to bang my head on the wall and laugh like a maniac. I hadn't seen him in months, and it was finally the day of his homecoming, for he wasn't going back there to the boarding school again.

I lazily stretched my arms and leaned on to the ebony window sill, watching nothing but the usual hustle and bustle in the streets of Delhi, the view from my bedroom window.

 _So, what should you do to make that ten year old happy? Make for him a double cheese pizza for dinner? Or decorate his room with the posters of his favorite heroes and cartoon characters?_ I thought as I took a shower and dressed up in white t-shirt and denim jeans. _You can do all of this Sabrina._ I decided to execute both the ideas, and buy him a present as well.

 _Let's get to work, then!_

I entered the kitchen and saw my mother making coffee for my father and her. "One cup for me too." I ordered, and she immediately refused to do that.

"Not for you, my dear. You are restricted from drinking coffee." She declared and I pouted.

"But why? You know I can't _live_ without it, don't you?" I pleaded.

"Back at it again?" My father too, came in the kitchen with a newspaper in one hand, and rubbed his temples with the other, "Another typical day in our house. Sabrina begging for coffee."

"Oh c'mon papa!" I snatched his newspaper and placed it aside. Then I held his hand with both my hands and with puppy eyes, I looked straight into his eyes and said, "Am I not my papa's obedient, pretty little girl?"

Emotional drama always seemed to work on him, but at the last moment - before he could fully melt - mom interrupted, "So my dear 'papa's obedient, pretty little girl', which grade did you get in the last science exam? Didn't you tell him?" Papa had a questioning look on his face.

 _It's time to vanish, Sabrina._ I left his hands and averted my eyes, "Umm... I have to go bring a gift for Arnav..."

Papa was about to say something when his phone rang. He looked at the screen with an unpleased look and muttered, "It's him again." I believed this _him_ by whom my father looked so annoyed must be one of his clients. He dealt with the business of importing and exporting goods, and it was nothing new to see that scowl on his face when some annoying client of his called up. He received hundreds of called every day. If I were in his shoes, I would've smashed my phone on a wall in less than a day.

But he had a few wonderful clients too, like the Japanese lady Miwa Asahina. She was a super creative fashion-designer, whose designs I absolutely loved. The clothes designed by her from her company, _The Asahina_ , reached India through my dad's company. She was a good family friend by now, and often visited our house. She was a friendly, pretty woman, and I could talk about anything with her without hesitating. I once nearly fainted when she asked me about my relationships and crushes - in front of my parents. They had their suspicious gaze on me the whole time. Just to make it all clear – I have never ever been in a relationship and I have no plans to be in one.

Wondering how we could communicate? I mean, she was Japanese and I was an Indian so language differences? My dad knew how to communicate in about eight different languages, and he taught me how to do that. So, I knew how to speak Japanese, and French, German, Spanish, Chinese, and of course, Punjabi, English, and Hindi.

Even Miwa ma'am knew how to speak English, duh.

I sat on my bike and went to bring a gift and the material required to decorate his room.

* * *

Well, I did not go with my parents to pick Arnav from his boarding school, since I had a lot of work on my plate.

"It's all done!" I muttered, sighing in victory, before glancing one last time at my brother's room. Posters of _Ben 10_ , _Superman_ , and many more weird characters, and his favorite cricketers were stuck on his wall. Above his bed frame was a large photo frame, in which I made a collage of the photos of his growing years. And on his bed sat a huge gift I bought for him. _I hope he likes it!_ On the dinner front, pizza was ready, along with spaghetti and Coke. My parents had left just a few minutes ago. So, it would probably take them whole two hours to bring him back. _Can't these two hours pass away quickly?_

But I thanked God that I had time to dress up, since I looked like a snob, covered in sweat, my hair up in a messy bun, and jeans rolled to my knees. At least the effort was worth it!

I had a shower, and dressed up in a simple knee-length white summer dress, my hair left open, and for formality accessorizing, two little white tops in the shape of diamonds. I had nothing to do but just wait, so I decided to turn on my laptop and check Skype. It was flooded with messages from the members of my dance troupe, and Yuusuke – my Japanese friend.

We accidentally became friends online, because Yuusuke had a weird username (something like 'Swagger' or what), and I was searching for another friend with an almost same username. We often video chatted, and were very good friends. I clicked on his username.

Yuusuke: Hey! Where have you been? My video chat requests failed.

I texted him back: Sorry man, my web cam isn't working. We've gotta chat like this for a while.

He instantly texted back: Hey hi! That's ok.

I was kind of surprised that he was still online. Wasn't it supposed to be late night in Japan?

Me: You know what? My brother's coming back from his boarding school today! He's on his by now, probably.

Yuusuke: Excited, aren't you?

Me: Of course! So, what's going on?

Yuusuke: Was about to study math... again.

Me: Aww! Poor you! LOL!

Yuusuke: Hey you can't laugh like that!

Me: Oooohhh I can! Don't act like you're someone's girl huh!

He didn't text back for a moment. I knew why. He was shy and would be blushing. I giggled at the thought and texted: Sorry man, I just went with the flow.

Yuusuke: You don't need to. By the way, I umm

Me: You what?

Yuusuke: I need to say something

Me: Something serious?

Yuusuke: Kinda...

Me: Okay, carry on

Yuusuke was texting, and right at that moment my phone rang. It was from mom. I tuned off my laptop and picked it up, and was greeted with a chirpy voice shouting in my ear, "Helloooo!" Oh, how I had waited to hear that voice!

"Arnav! Is it seriously you?!" I asked, taking a moment to absorb.

"Yes! Did you miss me?"

"Of course I did, idiot. How... Just how are you now?" His call came unexpectedly and I was overwhelmed to say anything that made sense. I was controlling was myself from squealing in joy and tried hard to act like a seventeen year old. I missed him so hard!

"Of course I am fine, idiot." He copied my words and I heard a faint voice of mom saying in a stern voice, "Language, Arnav". I giggled.

"Where are you guys now by the way?"

"Crossing Delhi Cant. Did you download the latest animated movies?"

"Yes yes, I did. I couldn't forget that, could I?"

"Hey I- ahhh!" BAM! I suddenly heard loud screams from the other end, and then a loud crash. The phone automatically disconnected. The smile from my face faded away, and was replaced by an expression of utter shock. _What happened?_

I tried calling them again a few times to no success, so I rushed towards the door with terrible thoughts in my mind. _Were they safe? Did anything happen to them? What was that loud bang? Those screams?_

I rode on my bike, and sped through the roads of Delhi, with thoughts of something happening to them crossing my head. I tried to shrug them all off, but it was difficult to do so, when I heard that scream. Yes, something had happened. Something bad, to be precise.

But I had to reach them as fast as I could. He said Delhi Cant. They should probably be somewhere around there. _Hurry up!_ I was panicking to the extent that my hands were shaking on the handles of the bike. No, nothing could happen to my family.

 _I won't let anything happen to them._

* * *

 **That's the first chapter. You can guess what happened.**

 **Just to let you guys know, they talked in Hindi (Indian language) the whole time, except for the time with Yuusuke, obviously.**

 **I know the chapter didn't end up quite well, but that's it. Reason –  
"(my name), you're in class nine. Concentrate on math." This is what my mother must've repeated a thousandth time this week. **

**So, leave a comment before you go (thanks for those in advance!), and the next chapter will be uploaded very soon. Looking forward to reviews!**

 **~Diamond Shyn**


	2. Chapter 2: Worst Fears

**Red Diamond**

 **I don't know what to say.**

 **Wait. On second thoughts, I know what to say.**

" **I HATE MATHEMATICS!" *shouts and screams and tears the math book, and regrets doing it all the next moment***

 **Enjoy the chapter – yes, that's what I should say. And, I was listening to the Nightcore version of Safe and Sound, by Landon Austin ft. Ellie Swisher while writing this.**

 **Disclaimer: Brothers Conflict? Oh, I sadly do not own it, only my OCs.**

* * *

Chapter 2: Worst fear

(Same time, In Japan, Sunrise Residence)

Yuusuke's POV

I was supposed to be sleeping, but was pulling off my bravest stunt ever.

I was about to confess my love to the most beautiful, the most unique girl I knew. I inhaled and exhaled, building up courage to confess. Although, I was not face-to-face with her, I was still nervous. How would she react? What if she rejects me? Ugh, it was damn frustrating! I don't know how guys flirt with girls – example being my older brother Kaname. I was already a blushing mess.

Oh no Yuusuke, say it _._

I began typing the words – 'I love you, Sabrina'. I was about to hit 'send' when all of a sudden, she went offline. What happened?

I erased it all and wrote: Are you there?

No response.

I waited for a couple of minutes, but I still didn't receive any response. Maybe her brother reached. I turned off my computer and went to sleep, sighing. I was so close! I was about to say it all!

Ugh! Never mind.

O~O~O

Sabrina's POV

I reached Delhi Cant, and was greeted by a huge crowd, looking at each other's faces in distress and gawking at something around which they had gathered. I left my bike and walked over to the crowd, slowly. I didn't want it all to be what I thought it would be. I had to make myself know what I was thinking was wrong. My thoughts sure could go wild, but I couldn't afford to even believe something like that. _Nothing has happened. Nothing has happened to them. Sabrina. Don't worry, they are safe. They are-_

I got through the crowd to the centre only to face my worst fears.

There was my dad's car, completely ruined. The side opposite to the driver's seat was crashed. There was where my mother sat. I hastily opened the door of the car, driver's seat, and the scene inside was horrendous. Everyone in the car was bleeding. There was a shallow pool of blood inside the car already. I gently took my dad's hand and tried to shake him. I called out their names in panic, my heart beating out of my chest, my head on verge of spinning.

"Papa! Mom! A-Arnav!" I screamed. I begged for a response. My mother and baby brother lay dead in my arms. Dad was still breathing. I could still save him.

"Help! Help please!" I shouted at the crowd hovering about the car. One of them called the ambulance, and another one, police. Luckily, the hospital wasn't that faraway, so the ambulance reached in five minutes. They took all the three with them, while I followed from behind on my bike.

My eyes were hazy with tears. I couldn't lose my family; they were all I had. The sole thought of them dying frightened me. I was covered in their blood – my hands, clothes, and legs. I felt nauseated with the metallic smell, possibly feeling the taste of blood in my mouth by default, but the fact didn't matter to me much at that time, and I tried to ignore everything else going through my mind. I just had to see my family in their senses again.

When we reached the hospital, they were carried into ICUs, and I was left in the dark, gloomy lobby of the hospital, waiting for a positive news.

O~O~O

Two hours had passed. I was waiting with my head hung the entire time, occasionally letting tears fall. Millions of negative thoughts passed through my mind, making me wonder that I could even hold the power to think about such scenarios, but I kept pushing them to the back of my head, still hopeful.

I heard footsteps coming towards me. I looked up to see the two doctors who were operating my parents walking towards me with an expression full of dismay. _Please God, no._

"I'm sorry, Ms. Kapoor, we couldn't save your parents. Your brother was brought dead on arrival." One of them said, lowering his eyes down to the floor.

I was shattered – I could just feel myself crumbling down. My heart exploded into pieces. It had to be some stupid nightmare I had to snap out of. I pinched myself hard a few times, then finally let out a whimper and fell down to knees, unable to stop the tears from cascading down.

"I feel really sorry for you, Ms. Kapoor. But we tried our best. Please fill up this form." The other one handed me a couple of sheets along with a pen. I wiped away my tears, and tried to recompose myself. _Don't break down. Please._

I filled up that sheet for formality, and informed the life insurance company for the amount. The doctors lead me to the room where they kept the dead bodies. My family's ... corpses lay on different stretchers, their whole body covered with long, white bed sheets. I took my mother's hand from underneath her sheet in one of my hands, my father's hand in the other, kissed their hands, and whispered, "I love you..." followed by some more tears streaming down my face. "No, papa, your girl won't cry." I wiped them off, remembering the time when I was child and I broke my leg. He told me to be brave and to not cry, and to be the strong girl I was. I couldn't let him down at any costs.

Watching them lying there, lifeless, was the worst scenario, my worst fear. I walked over to Arnav's corpse, and removed the sheet from his face. He looked pale, skin was as cold. His face was expressionless, opposite to how he always was - cheerful. I kissed him on his cheek. "Goodbye" I whispered, and covered his face again. I made sure to not let a tear fall, but my hands did tremble. God, was there no way out of the nightmare?!

I ordered the doctors to send an ambulance with their bodies to my residence for the further rituals.

O~O~O

The sound of the ambulance's siren entering my society woke up a few of my neighbors from their sleep. It was around 12 midnight. They looked out of their windows, and were visible enough for me to see them. One by one, lights turned on in different flats, and people came out of their houses in their night wears. I sighed.

The old lady who lived right across my flat came to me and asked, "What happened? What happened to your clothes?" She began wiping my blood-covered arms with her handkerchief. I didn't reply.

Soon enough, she got her answers when the corpses were brought out from the ambulance. She gasped and put a hand on her mouth. So did the others who were watching from their houses, and their heads hung.

My dance troupe members, who lived in the same society, came running down to me, only to give me comfort. One of them, Priyanka, called my uncle and my grandparents to tell them about the unfortunate accident. I had no expression on my face. Nor did a single tear leave my eyes.

I looked at Arnav's corpse. Who could imagine that it would take him so long to reach home?

O~O~O

It was five in the morning. My whole family, including the relatives whose names I didn't even know reached my house and was mourning over the loss. The sound of cries filled the room. Everyone was crying – wailing, to be exact.

Everyone but me.

I knew very well that whoever takes a birth has to die one day. But I didn't expect that the day for my family would be so close. I was sitting in a corner of the room, and had a family photo in my hands. I didn't look at their lifeless, cold bodies, but at the photograph, so I could remember the good times.

It was a very old photograph, when I was around ten years old and Arnav was just three. In the photo, mom was holding little Arnav in her arms and beside her sat dad. I was standing a step behind them, smiling like an idiot; while dad had his face slightly titled towards me, and was laughing, and mom was looking lovingly at Arnav. Of course, my lazy brother was asleep, even in the picture.

I smiled a little, looking at their faces, wishing if I could see them again, or even hear their sweet voices.

 _Come back..._

* * *

 **What should I say now? Did you like it?**

 **REVIEW!**

 **~Diamond Shyn**


	3. Chapter 3: Recover

**Red Diamond**

 **Chapter three here.**

 **I'm starting to make things quick, unlike what I thought earlier. This way, I save two useless chapters.**

 **Story will begin to take its shape. Enjoy!**

 **Diabolik Lovers' soundtrack is so melodious! (Yup, I listened to it a day before)**

 **Disclaimer: Thank God that I do not own Brothers Conflict; otherwise it would've been such a shitty anime. But I do own my OCs (yay!).**

* * *

Chapter 3: Recover

Sabrina's POV

I saw their bodies being enveloped by flames. They were turning to ashes, thanks to this ritual we had. I was the only woman in the cremation ground, since ladies weren't allowed to come there. But I had to, since I was the only child of my parents left. And, I was the one who set fire to their bodies. Again, rituals.

The fire blazed in front of me, producing huge clouds of smoke. "We will be a family. We will be together, forever. May your souls rest in peace" I whispered in an inaudible voice.

Home. That's what family is. That sense of belonging you get just by their presence – the one which brings you out from the deepest pits of despair – is so underappreciated. It's always taken for granted, everywhere, but they don't realize the value of this gift until they're gone. And just like that, my home was ripped apart from me.

Everyone left soon, but me. I was staring at the sky, with some of my father's ashes in my hand. I looked back at my hand. I soon let the ashes fall to the ground, and collected each of theirs in different golden-colored caskets, and covered them with red silk cloth, as it was part of our rituals. These little caskets had to be dropped in some holy river which was in some other state. My uncle had to perform this ritual.

I carried the caskets to my uncle. He was my father's first cousin, and pretty rich, if I had to describe him.

"The police informed me that it was a case of drunk driving. The car was hit by a truck whose driver was drunk." He informed me.

"Where is that driver now?" I asked him. He shrugged before he answered, "He is also dead."

"Oh" I said, and walked off. He died such an easy death; good for him. If he would've been alive, I would've ripped his limbs apart. The fire couldn't calm down. Never.

O~O~O

Three months had passed since that accident. Three months since my life completely changed. Three months since I became an orphan.

I lived alone. Nothing much had changed; I attended school, made and cooked food.

But on second thoughts, yes, my life had changed a lot. I was no more the cheerful, bubbly girl I used to be. I didn't smile quite often, and had glassy eyes always. And I had stopped dancing.

My friends told me to get a life, but I simply distanced myself from most of them. They didn't know the agony I had suffered. They couldn't chart the blue section of hell I had been through. They could just say, and only say.

Once, when I was walking back home from school, I encountered that very familiar person's car in the way; she was going straight towards my home. I raced with the car, and got home first, since there was lot of traffic on road, something so usual in Delhi.

I hurriedly changed into a red t-shirt and denim Capri, and cleaned the living room, for I knew someone was coming. I didn't want anyone to witness the mess made in my living room, especially someone who was here straight from Japan. And then the bell rang.

I opened the door and genuinely smiled after a long time. "Hello Miwa ma'am!" I welcomed the lady into my house. She wore a formal looking shirt underneath her black coat, and black pants with black pencil heels. She hugged me and I hugged her back, loving the scent or roses that came from her.

"Hello dear! How have you and your family been?" She asked. _Family? Oh, they are doing well in heaven, I suppose._

I was taken aback, shocked to know that she didn't know about their demise. I answered her in a low voice with a sad smile on my face, "They... um, passed away?" She dropped the bags that were in her hands. "What!" she definitely didn't know this.

I helped her to a sofa and told her about the accident and my life after it. She stayed in complete silence and listened to me with patience, a look of gloom pasted on her face throughout. After I completed, she embraced me, and said, "You've gone through a lot, Sabrina. I didn't know any of this; otherwise, I would've come to you earlier. You are a strong, brave girl." She stroked my hair lovingly, "Don't lose yourself. Come back and embrace your own self."

"But how can I?" I asked, "I have no one to go to. I lost everything." I heard my voice crack.

"No dear." She sat back and thought for a few moments, and then declared, "I'll adopt you."

"Hah?!" I was surprised, and looked at her with wide eyes, while she smiled at me. "How can you? You live in Japan and I, here in India." I argued.

"Don't worry. You'll come and live with my sons in Japan."

"Japa- wait, you have sons?" I was surprised, once again, that day. She had sons? She looked like she was in her mid twenties. I went to the kitchen to have a glass of water, still recovering from these shocks.

"Oh yes I do. I have thirteen sons." I spit out my water. "Thirteen? Thirteen!" I exclaimed, surprised, _again._ She gently rubbed my back, "My my, are you okay?" She asked, her voice radiating concern for me. I was happy to know that I had someone who was genuinely concerned about me. Heck, she was ready to adopt me.

"But adopting me..." I said, but I couldn't find any words. I believed that the decision was not right. At least for her sons; I didn't intend to intervene in their life. I didn't want to be a bother to anyone. Plus, I could feel my subconscious shake its head at the decision.

"Then it's finalized – you will be adopted." She clapped her hands and declared. I refused, but she kept trying until I gave in. She was so stubborn!

"Fine, but do you think it would be easy to adopt me? I mean, getting the permission from India? The paperwork? And then your sons, would they accept me?" I asked, squinting my eyes to add more effect to my statement.

"Don't worry! I'll do it easily! And don't you worry! My boys are easily gonna accept you! I assure you! But before that, I need to inform them about this, so I better get going now." She picked up her stuff and walked out of the door. But before going, she turned and said, "Promise me that you will be happier now."

"I...I promise." I said and showed a small smile.

She went, and I went to my room. I sat in front of my dressing table, facing the huge mirror, and said, "Hello, Sabrina!" I made stupid faces, imitated Shah Rukh Khan by making his famous pose and saying out his dialogues in his style, and danced to some cheerful songs with all my heart. I had to accept what had happened, and move on. That was the only logical escape from my misery, I had realized.

I stopped, and looked at my reflection in the mirror, and said, "Come back, you idiot! Come back, papa's girl! Come back, you science failure! Come back, you dancer!" I laughed without a reason. I laughed so much that tears came into my eyes. I might've looked like a retard from outside, but trust me, that was the best therapy I could give myself. My kind of therapy.

After a while, I declared, "I'm back!" and smiled.

I immediately called my dance troupe members, "Hey there! Free for a rehearsal?"

* * *

 **R.E.V.I.E.W. P.L.E.A.S.E.**

 **And thanks to my lovely first reviewer** **misa241098** **for reviewing my story and its trailer. I really do appreciate that!**

 **~Diamond Shyn**


	4. Chapter 4: The News

**Red Diamond**

 **My head hurts. My arm hurts. My wrist hurts, my back hurts.  
I just need to write it quickly, and go to a deep sleep. **

**Or rather, go to a doctor.**

 **The story begins with narrator's (ohh that's me!) POV.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't know the name of the guy who owns Brothers Conflict, but I'm sure about one thing: I do not own it, but my OC.**

* * *

Chapter 4: The News

Miwa right away booked a plane to go to her residence in Japan.

She reached her city late in the evening and after hours of sitting in an upright position, her back hurt. She boarded a taxi to travel back to her home, the Sunrise Residence. And boy, was she excited to meet her sons after months. She couldn't wait to see their cheerful faces again, and to surprise them with the news of their new possible family member. She desperately wished that her sons would take it nicely, and accept her; though she didn't have a doubt about most of them being quite supportive, the younger ones in the bunch could be reluctant.

The taxi stopped before a huge grey building. Miwa took the lift to the fifth floor, where usually all of her boys were supposed to be at the time. The door of the lift opened to reveal a full dining table, except for a few seats vacant. She noticed Yuusuke, Hikaru, Fuuto, and Natsume weren't there in the room. She walked in, and the sound of her walking in heels caught the attention of everyone in the room. "Hey boys! I'm here!"

"Mom!" Her youngest son, Wataru, ran towards her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She ruffled his salmon-colored hair. "How have you all been?"

"What a surprise to see you today!" Kaname, the third eldest said, and the others agreed.

"We're all good here. What about you?" Her eldest son, Masaomi, asked her, escorting her to an empty seat on the dining table. "I've been about fine too. Just noticed a few wrinkles on my face today!" She chuckled.

"Anyway, I have some announcement, boys." She got everyone's attention. "You will be getting a new sister very soon!" She happily said, earning stunned expressions from everyone at the table, except the youngest. He jumped in joy. "I'll be getting a new sister! Yay, I'm going to be a big brother!"

"Whom did you marry?" Ukyo, her second son, asked, fixing his glasses.

Miwa realized what she had said a second later, then laughed and said, "Oh no, you are getting the wrong idea! I'm adopting a girl." With this, a few of them breathed an air of relief, and this time Tsubaki, her fifth son, jumped and exclaimed, "A sister! How old is she? How does she look? Is she-"

"Calm down, Tsubaki." Azusa, Miwa's sixth son and Tsubaki's twin, said and made his twin brother sit back on his chair, who was still beaming with excitement.

"Why such a decision all of a sudden?" Asked Subaru, the ninth brother, looking thoughtful on his part.

"Well," Miwa sighed, her smile vanishing in an instant, "Her father was my colleague. Her family recently died in a car accident. She's only seventeen now; I couldn't see her so broken as she was now. Though she promised me that she wouldn't be that sad, I felt the urge to adopt her. She is the ideal daughter I always wanted." She searched her phone for Sabrina's photograph, and successfully got one, in which she was pouting and winking. She passed her phone to the middle of the table, showing the picture to her sons.

"Sabrina is a very sweet girl. It's fun to be with her." She described," I didn't have a better photo, sorry."

"Look! Onee-chan is so cute!" Wataru exclaimed, along with Tsubaki. "When is she coming?" He asked.

"Well, the paperwork isn't done yet. I came here to ask your consent. Yes?" She said.

"Of course. We trust your decisions, mom." Masaomi stated, and everyone else nodded in response – Subaru seeming a tad reluctant with the idea, though.

"Well, I would be very happy if one of you could go to India to meet with her this week. She doesn't know any of you. In fact, your birth was news to her!" She chuckled, "You would also be familiar with her that way. And she knows how to speak Japanese, F-Y-I."

The males thought for a moment, and a couple of minutes later, Masaomi spoke up, "I think I should go to meet her."

"That's what I was thinking. You are the eldest and you should go." Miwa agreed.

"Anyone interested in accompanying me?" He asked. Tsubaki and Wataru rose from their seats, ready to go. Masaomi denied Wataru's request, since he had to attend school, while Azusa reminded Tsubaki of their important recording session in the week. Both of them sulked and pouted, the younger one still whiny.

"I think you should come, Ukyo."

"I wouldn't be able to, since no one here knows how to cook food." Ukyo said.

"I guess I'm free this week." Louis said, after checking his schedule.

"Great then!" Miwa said, and Masaomi nodded in approval.

"And who can take the responsibility to tell the others about this?" She asked, and Tsubaki said, "Leave it up to me, mom."

He rose from his seat to contact his brothers about Sabrina, except Yuusuke, the eleventh one. He knew it very well that Yuusuke was shy around girls, and even the thought of having a girl at home would freak him out. He thus wanted to see his reaction, and giggled to himself picturing the scene when Yuusuke would unexpectedly meet a girl at home. His predictable red face amused Tsubaki! _Hehe, this is going to be fun!_ He thought before he announced that he had informed everyone.

O~O~O

Sabrina's POV

"It's great to see you like this again!" Priyanka, my dance troupe member, said and I smiled back at her. Two hours had passed since I invited my troupe over for rehearsal. We had taken a water break, and were all sweaty and tired. I received a message from Miwa ma'am that her sons had agreed for the adoption and the paperwork would be done within the same week. Also that two of her sons would be visiting me. It meant that it would be my last week in India.

I sighed and took a deep breath, and announced, "Attention, guys! I'm being adopted, and will be sent off to Japan. This is sorta... my last week here..." I said the last part sheepishly, watching the shock slowly come to life on their faces.

Complete silence.

"Guys...?" Did I say something wrong? Or break the news too early? That silence with them seemed foreign.

"And this is when you chose to tell us? Now? Really?" Priyanka skeptically asked, flailing her arms around to express her exasperation.

"Honestly, I just came to know about this. Can't do anything!" I shrugged.

"Are you going? Like, forever?" One of them asked, and I nodded. "Don't worry! I won't be gone forever! I'll pay you all frequent visits. My soul won't get off your back so easily!" We all laughed, and came together for a group hug.

 _These are the moments I'm gonna miss..._

* * *

 **End of chapter 4. I hope it made some sense and I didn't just vomit my thoughts like that.**

 **I was watching Diabolik Lovers before writing this (Oh, so that's the reason my head hurts. Thankfully not my neck...) and had a bit of their characters in my mind. So I'm sorry if you got to see any bit of Reiji's manners over there.**

 **Kindly, review.**

 **Plus, a shout out to** **misa241098** **for her support; I wasn't going to add a chapter today but here we are, because of you!**

 **~Diamond Shyn**


	5. Chapter 5: Here We Go!

**Red Diamond**

 **CHAPTER 5.**

 _ **~Don't let me, don't let me, don't let me down.  
Do-don't let me down, don't me down~**_

 **I love the tune that comes right after that!**

 ***coughs* sorry I was just listening to that (I know it's an old song now, but I heard it again after a long time and fell in love with it all over again). You go ahead and read the chapter! Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Brothers Conflict, but my OC! *sighs, and listens to** _ **Don't Let Me Down**_ **again***

* * *

Chapter 5: Here we go!

Narrator's POV

Masaomi, Louis, and Miwa were leaving for India the next noon, with Wataru whining for not being taken along.

"Don't worry Wataru! Your sister will be here in a few days." Masaomi explained to Wataru.

"But please come back soon. I'll miss you." Wataru innocently said, and Miwa made an 'Aww!' sound. They boarded their flight, and left Japan. "So, what's the plan when we go there?" Masaomi asked.

"Well, I'll be going to do the paperwork and you and Louis will go to Sabrina's house with a trusted tourist guide. He knows me and Sabrina too."

They reached at six in the evening, and the trio was joined by the tourist guide whom Miwa mentioned. He was called Mr. Kumar. He was tall and his skin was tanned, and wore a dark colored suit, but the coat was hung on his arm. The males then sat in Kumar's car and departed to go to Sabrina's house.

"I know, I know, the weather here is warmer, compared to that of Japan." Kumar chuckled, as he noticed the other two relieved as soon as he turned on the air conditioner of the car.

"Yes, we are not used to this weather." Louis replied.

"Welcome to India, then." He then began telling them a bit about himself and Delhi.

"My I ask, how do you know Sabrina?" Masaomi asked, out of curiosity. Kumar smiled and replied, "I was her father's close friend. I know a lot about her and her family as well."

* * *

Sabrina's POV

I came to know that my two brothers, Masaomi and Louis were arriving today. I thus began cleaning my house. By the time it was all done, it was already five in the evening. I took a shower and dressed up in a black knee- length dress, black stilettos, and pinned my hair to the side. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, grinned and said, "Oh, so you're now miss sophisticated, huh?"

Just at that moment, I heard loud sound of music from the backside of my house. I opened the window to see a stage set up, with music loudly playing and a few people dancing. The guy, who was dressed up as he was the host, announced after the dance ended, "Looks like no one has the courage to win this dance competition to win these five thousand rupees." And waved his hand in which he was holding the money. _Dance competition?_

I received a call from Priyanka, asking if I was interested in performing on stage.

"Well, that's what I was thinking!" I replied, "Call the others!" And I hung up the phone.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror again, this time to say, "Goodbye miss sophisticated!"

* * *

Narrator's POV

Kumar's car pulled up in front of Sabrina's house. They got to her door but it was locked. "Where can she be now? Wasn't she informed that you were coming?" Kumar asked Masaomi and Louis.

"I believe she was. That's what mom told us." Louis said.

That's when Kumar heard the announcement in hindi, "Participants, beware! Here we have our all time favorite – Team Diamonds!"

"She'll be there!" Kumar said, and lead the other two along with him to behind her house from where the music came.

He was right – there she was on the stage, the lead dancer, performing ghetto while wearing stilettos with her troupe of eight. "That's your sister." Kumar pointed to Sabrina, who didn't notice their presence. The brothers too, recognized her. And may I say, they were quite impressed with her dance quality.

The dance ended soon, and the winners were declared, since there was no one else to dance after them. Of course, the winner was Team Diamonds, because their dance style was unique, unlike the rest. While her team was busy celebrating and hugging each other for the win, Sabrina noticed Kumar, and two new figures. _They definitely don't belong to India. Could they be..._ Sabrina thought and raced to them.

"Hello!" She bowed before them, and introduced herself, "This is Sabrina."

"Hello. I am Masaomi, the eldest son."

"And I am Louis, the eighth son."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both." She said and smiled.

The second she said that, another young woman came and embraced her from the side. "You won!" Sabrina immediately recognized her voice. "Riya!" It was her cousin, who was three years older than her.

Riya pulled away. She sported round glasses with jeans and yellow buttoned shirt. "I knew you would win. Who are these guys?" She said as she looked at the two brothers.

"Well, they're gonna be my brothers." Sabrina said. Riya was aware that she was being adopted.

They all walked over to her house, and she ushered them into the living room. She excused herself to wash her face. While Kumar received a phone call from his boss, and he too excuse himself, Masaomi, Louis, and Riya sat on the sofa in complete silence. She looked at both of them, and blushed, then looked at them again, and blushed again. Masaomi and Louis looked at each in confusion, still not letting the smile plastered on their faces slip off.

Riya looked at them again, and this time, she blushed so hard that she hid her face in her hands and ran to Sabrina's room, leaving the other two perplexed.

Sabrina was wiping her face, when Riya broke into her room and exclaimed in a low voice, "Your brothers are so hot! I can't stop blushing!" Sabrina sighed and face palmed.

"Arnav was your brother since he was my brother, right?" Sabrina explained, even though mention of her dead brother caused slight pain in her chest," similarly, as these guys are going to be my brothers, they will be your cousins. So, flush all those weird thoughts, okay?"

Riya pouted, "You know how to piss off anyone." At this, Sabrina chuckled, and said, "I love to piss you off. Your reaction is the cutest!" She then dragged her pouting cousin with her into the living room, where the two Asahinas had been waiting.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Sabrina said and sat on the sofa parallel to those on which the brothers were sitting. "Where's Mr. Kumar?" she asked.

"He had to answer a phone call. He's probably in the balcony." Masaomi answered.

The three started talking about themselves; their interests, hobbies, occupations, while Riya just sat there, beside Sabrina, understanding nothing since she didn't understand Japanese. She yawned several times, before she drifted off to sleep. No one noticed her sleeping, till the time she began snoring.

The trio looked at Riya, her head hung as if it was about to detach itself from her neck and fall off. Sabrina shook her arm and she woke up with a start. When she gained consciousness, her face turned red as ever, and she excused herself to go back to her own home.

"Sorry for that. She's a sleepyhead." Sabrina apologized for the third time that day, receiving an "It's okay" as a response.

They continued talking about the Asahina brothers.

"So, how is it living with twelve other brothers?" She asked.

Masaomi replied, "It's entertaining. You can never get bored living in a house full of twelve other brothers, who end themselves up in some or the other trouble successfully every once in a while. You can never feel lonely, even if you want to."

"Yes," Louis added, "The youngest whines most of the time, another four, cannot stop teasing you, the other two, always getting embarrassed after being teased, and the rest of us, enjoying the show to the fullest." The three giggled.

Kumar came inside with an ear to ear smile on his lips, and said, "Congratulations! You are officially siblings now. The paperwork was successful."

"That's great! Well, looking forward to take you with us to our home." Masaomi said.

"Even I'm looking forward to meeting the rest of the brothers." She happily said. They eventually had to go to a hotel, since it was late evening, and were informed that they would be leaving the next evening.

The last part came as a shock to Sabrina, because she wasn't expecting that she would be leaving India so soon.

* * *

Sabrina's POV

When the males left, I removed my stilettos and threw them on the ground, and gently massaged my feet. I wasn't used to wearing these heels and stuff, plus, I danced wearing these. All this time, I just prayed that my feet don't break and my ankles don't twist. It was the only pair of heels I had, since I found shoes more comfortable than these super-girly stilettos.

But I was more interested in roaming around my house that day, since I knew that I would be leaving the next. And who knows when I'll be able to come back?

I entered my parents' room. It was as plain as ever, just the cupboards, the lamp kept on the nightstand and the photo frames on the walls. But it was the place where my parents stayed for about nineteen years.

Next, I moved to Arnav's room. It was still the way I decorated it when he was supposed to come back from his boarding school. Sure enough, he never came. The posters were still on the walls, a few dust particles resting on the family photo frame, and the gift still on that bed, untouched.

I went to my room. Each of its nooks was crammed with memorable gifts collected over the years, the cupboard against the wall, with half of it filled with clothes, and the other half with old cassettes, photo albums, birthday cards, and more gifts.

The drawers in the dressing table on the adjacent wall had some of my mother's cosmetics, since I was fond of make up when I was young. She never bothered to take them back. In fact, she was fully satisfied with me taking her cosmetics and applying them on my face.

At last, the living room. The long counter had the miniatures of the wonders of the worlds sitting on it, accompanied by the awards I and Arnav won. The little hall had the memories of our family get together, everyday dinners and the chit chat that came free with it, and birthdays. My seventeen birthdays.

The house was filled with memories that were to be remembered forever; the laughter, the tears, the cheers, and the gossips. It contained Arnav's cries when he first entered the house in my mother's arms. It contained the little drops of blood when I first scraped my knee. It contained the cheers from my family when I won my first dance competition. I contained the smell of my family's corpses.

It was like a gold casket, in which these treasures, called memories, were stored for eternity.

 _My presence shall always be felt here._

* * *

 **I hope this chapter wasn't that bad. So far, it is the longest chapter I have written for this story.**

 **Tell me how it was through your reviews. Thank you those who already reviewed!**

 **Keep reading!**

 **~Diamond Shyn**


	6. Chapter 6: Moving In

**Red Diamond**

 **Here's the most awaited chapter! An early update because it's a public holiday today.**

 **Yes baby, I need to give useless author notes, because I find communicating through writing easier than speaking in person.**

 **Sabrina's thoughts are in italics. Even though the first half of the chapter is in narrator's POV, they are scattered everywhere.**

 **Anyway, enjoy and review!**

 **Disclaimer: You know what I have to say, don't you? I do not own Brothers Conflict, but only my OCs.**

* * *

Chapter 6: Moving in

Narrator's POV

Miwa informed the others that she wouldn't be able to accompany them to Japan, since she had an important meeting in New York City all of a sudden. She thus booked a flight for New York City, muttering how inefficient people were at work.

Sabrina was ready to go and meet the rest of the brothers. Full packed in black colored jeans and checkered white and red shirt, she sported red canvas shoes and put her brown hair up in a tight high-ponytail.

Just to be the weird girl she was, she took a selfie with her messy room. _Emotions, dude!_

With a heavy heart, Sabrina left a few memorable things back at her home, for the sake of not going insane with the weight limit for belongings allowed at airports.

A few things? Nah, she almost left all of her belongings there. Ranging from old cards and folders to useless stuff – with the exception of a couple of albums and tapes – she left them all in her apartment, just to not overwhelm her new family with the amount of luggage she was carrying.

She sent a flying kiss in her house's direction before locking its main door. She descended down the stairs to board the taxi waiting for her behind her building, when she encountered her dance troupe waiting for her, tears brimming in a few pairs of eyes.

"Guys...I'll miss you..." and with that, her lovely group enveloped her in a big, tight group hug. The all stood in the same position until Sabrina's phone rang. It was a call from the taxi driver to remind her that he had been waiting for ten minutes.

They took a sorrowful leave of each other, with Sabrina promising to come back very soon.

"Goodbye, India," Sabrina whispered as the plane took off, with her on the window seat. Louis sat beside her, and beside him, Masaomi.

She wondered how her family would be like. Will they accept her? How will their attitude be towards her? Louis and Masaomi had already told her the brothers' names and explained their personalities. Yes, it took a few minutes to absorb the information, but the family seemed appealing.

However, the anxiousness was still there. Why wouldn't it be? She was going to meet a family of thirteen for the first time.

Ah, let me rephrase that. She was going to meet _her_ family members for the first time.

 _Chill, they would accept you._ She kept repeating this until she fell asleep.

O~O~O

Sabrina's POV

I woke up by the sound of the plane landing. I rubbed my eyes and looked out of the window to realize that we had reached Japan. We took out our luggage and proceeded to exit the airplane. We descended down the eight flights of steps of the plane and entered the airport.

It was daytime in Japan, probably around ten in the morning. The airport was more crowded as compared to Indian airports. We walked through it to reach the place where the cars and taxis were waiting for their customers.

"There they are!" said Masaomi, and lead us to the place where he perhaps saw the brothers waiting.

 _It's time!_ I inhaled and exhaled before following him to the car. Leaning on the car were two almost identical men. Everything about them seemed similar, except for the fact that one of them had white hair and had his bangs falling over his right eye, and the other one had black hair covering his left eye. Oh, the dark-haired guy had spectacles too. I noticed that both of them had violet eyes – it was a rare eye color, and I knew right away that these guys were somewhat special.

Before we could approach them, the white-haired guy jumped forward and embraced me. "It's nice to meet you, little sister!~" he whispered in my ear. I returned his embrace back with one of the hand gently tapping on his back, while my other hand held my luggage. Had it been some other random guy hugging me like that, he would've gotten a bruised eye in five seconds.

"Tsubaki, enough!" The dark-haired guy said, and punched 'Tsubaki' on his head, resulting in Tsubaki loosening his grip on me. I just hoped that the punch didn't hurt much.

"Aw Azusa! That did hurt!" Tsubaki faked the hurt expression as he rubbed the back of his head where Azusa punched him.

I proceeded to introduce myself. I smiled and said, "Hello, I'm Sabrina. Your... new sister?"

"Hello, then. I'm Azusa, and this is my brother, Tsubaki." Azusa said, pointing to Tsubaki.

"Are you guys twins?" I blurted out. _That's quite obvious, idiot._ I inwardly sighed.

"Yes we are! I'm the elder one, and he's my naïve little bro." Tsubaki said and threw his arms around his twin's shoulder. "Identical twins." _Louis told me about the twins. The fifth and the sixth sons._

Louis received a text message and excused himself to go to his work. _Work? Ah, hairdresser!_ He told me the day before. The brothers helped me to load the luggage in the car, and we sat in the vehicle. I sat behind the driver's seat with Masaomi sitting beside me. Azusa drove the car.

I rolled down the window and looked out to see high-rise buildings and loads of people. Even though the place was civilized enough, it didn't miss the greenery. As we took another turn to enter the residential area's street, the number of maple trees and cherry blossoms increased. The street was calm as ever, giving the perfect atmosphere to reside. Another turn and the car stopped.

"We are here." Masaomi said and exited the car, and I did the same.

"Whoa!" I whispered to myself, looking at the building in front of which we were standing. It looked like it had about five-to-six floors. It was a tall building made up of grey marble stones, top two floors illuminated by huge glass windows in diamond shapes. The sides of the building were decorated by numerous colorful flower beds and cherry blossoms.

"You guys live here?!" I asked, astonished. My eyes were still fixed on the tall structure standing in front of me.

"Yes." Azusa simply answered. He must've seen how I flabbergasted was watching their house, so he asked, "How is it?"

"It is very much like my dream house. Am I going to live here?" I asked, like the stupid one I was, just in case.

"Yes you are!" Tsubaki said, grabbed my hand, and pulled me with him as he brisk-walked towards the entrance.

We got inside the elevator, and Azusa explained, "We have given the first two floors on rent, so the thirteen of us live on the top three floors." He said and clicked the button for fifth floor.

The elevator doors opened to reveal a platform connected to some stairs, which lead to a large, spacious living room. In the centre of the hall were sofas around two coffee tables, facing a huge television. There was also a dining table near it, with another television, and a kitchen nearby. We descended down the stairs. Huge window illuminated the hall, other than the lights, of course. I twirled around and had a complete look of the room. The atmosphere was comfortable.

"Are you Sabrina?" A male's voice said from behind me. I turned to face him. He had his hair in a light shade of blonde, neatly arranged, and wore rimless spectacles. He was dressed in formal, just the coat replaced by an apron. _Hmm. Disciplined enough!_

"Yes. Pleased to meet you." I said and bowed.

"I'm Ukyo, the second son." He too, bowed.

"Well well, looks like we already have our little imouto-chan with us!~" Another man with slightly darker blonde hair, dressed in some traditional Japanese attire, came from somewhere.

"Hello, I'm Sabrina." I introduced myself. He held my hand and kissed it, "Pleasure to meet you, imouto-chan." I blushed a bit, since no one had dared to do that before. The boys in my previous class once tried to do this, and the next thing they knew was that they had a broken nose. Since this blondie was my older brother, and preferably more handsome, I let it slide.

Ukyo sighed and said, "He's Kaname, the third eldest son." _Third eldest... monk, right?_

"Ah, what's with all this, Kana-nii? You brought another girl with you?" A very familiar voice spoke from the platform above us. _Wait, what..._

I looked above to see that redhead Yuusuke leaning on the doorjamb, looking at me. His eyes slowly widened, and the next moment, he was standing in front of me, saying, "No... Sabrina!"

"Dude, don't tell me that you came down the stairs this quickly. Either you teleported or you fell down." I remarked, looking straight into his eyes. _Is he your new brother?_

"How can you be here?" He said, or more like shouted. I could see he was in a state of incredulity.

"Wait. Is your last name Asahina?" He nodded.

I smiled and exclaimed, "Hey! I'm your new sister then!" He looked at me in disbelief.

"You're joking, aren't you?"

"Yuusuke, Sabrina, you both know each other?" Masaomi asked, and I nodded.

"Oh yes. We have been friends since I-don't-remember-how-long on Skype." I responded.

"So our tsundere brother has at least one girl as a friend?~" Tsubaki teased Yuusuke in a sing-song voice, who turned bright red.

"But why wasn't I informed of this?" He argued, and Tsubaki averted his eyes to the ceiling.

Ukyo asked, "Tsubaki, didn't you inform Yuusuke?"

"Seems like I forgot to tell him." Tsubaki said, completely relaxed, and seemingly satisfied with the turn of events.

Yuusuke fumed, "H-how could you!" He stomped towards him, but Tsubaki grabbed him by his shoulders and dragged him somewhere. Azusa sighed at the site, and shook his head.

We once again heard the sound of the elevator, and two more figures came down to the hall – one of a tall, handsome man with strong built and short black hair, and the other one was a little boy with salmon hair, whose eyes lit up as soon as he saw me and Masaomi. Both of them were sweating.

The little boy ran towards Masaomi and hugged him, "Masa-nii! You're back!" I tried hard not to let out an 'Aww!'

He then looked towards me and said, "Is she onee-chan?" Masaomi nodded. The cutie then ran to me and bowed, "I'm Wataru. Nice to meet you, onee-chan."

I kneeled down to face him, smiled, and said, "I'm Sabrina. It's nice to meet you too, sweetheart."

"Would you like to see my Usa-tan?" he innocently asked.

"Who is Usa-tan?"

"He's my teddy bear that Masa-nii gave me." He replied. For a moment, I was taken aback. He was just like Arnav.

"He's ten years old, the youngest." Masaomi said, waking me up from my thoughts - again a similarity. I stood back on my feet.

I looked at the other one. He was way taller than me. _Damn, and you really thought you were tall, Sabrina!_ I once again introduced myself, "I'm Sabrina, your new sister."

He blushed. For no reason. "Hi." He said and walked off.

"He's Subaru, the ninth son." Kaname explained. While I was still looking in Subaru's direction, wondering what the heck just happened, when Wataru exclaimed, "Fuuto-nii's on TV!"

I came to face the television screen to see a young guy perform some pop song. We all sat down on the sofas in front of the TV. Some of them had a bored expression on their faces. It looked like they were forced to watch his performance.

The guy stopped performing for a few seconds to wink and strike poses, and to address his fan girls. His ultra-shiny outfit glimmered in the neon lights of his concert. I squinted my eyes to adjust to the brightness level – she was just plainly shining, like Edward from _Twilight_.

"That fake smile." Tsubaki commented, tightly clutching the cushion he was holding.

"And those dance moves. A toddler can dance better than him." Azusa too, commented.

 _Nothing great about the dance moves, really._ I entered my judge-mode. The song was good enough, I was thinking of downloading it, but the dance moves weren't that impressive.

"That is Fuuto, the twelfth son. Fuuto Asakura is his stage name." Kaname said.

Yuusuke shrieked, "I don't think he is singing; he is just shouting!" He turned down the volume.

 _So, these are one, two, three... ten brothers._ "Where are the rest three?" I asked, out of the blues.

"One of them is at the library, and the other two are out of town." Masaomi answered.

I looked at all of them one by one. These guys were my new family. The fact of having ten older brothers was still Greek to me, since I had always been the elder one and had no elder sibling. And there I was, with ten older brothers, one of my age, and two younger ones.

"Sabrina?" Masaomi said.

"Yes?" I responded.

"I hope you are comfortable with all of us." I smiled and nodded, and the others looked at us.

"This is your new home, and you can do whatever you want. Just don't be shy, since mom told me you aren't like the shy one you are being now." _You got it, dude!_

"Well..." I tucked a strand of hair falling on my face behind my ear, "I can be a total pain, 'cause I am like an untamed wild animal, and all this time I was trying to behave normal, so that at least you guys can classify me as a human." They laughed.

"We would be happy if our imouto-chan shows us her real side." Kaname said.

"Seriously? Don't blame me afterwards!" I said and threw my arms in the air as if to surrender.

"You guys are so welcoming!" I said and smiled.

* * *

 **I know, I know, the ending was a bit shitty, but I had to add something like that.**

 **Lemme say the truth- I've lately been watching Diabolik Lovers and I end up confusing the personalities of the characters of BroCon with DiaLov.**

 **Example? I ended up writing Kaname's first dialogues as "Well well, looks like we a cute little human girl amongst us." And then I had to erase it all and make a mental note – KANAME AND LAITO AREN'T THE SAME.**

 **This chapter was a bit too obvious, since we already know our lovely characters. But I couldn't just write this – 'DON'T YOU KNOW THE CHARACTERS?' – And post it as a chapter.**

 **Kindly leave your views and also give suggestions on how I should proceed with the story. Thanks for your favs/follows/reviews!**

 **~Diamond Shyn**


	7. Chapter 7: Settling In

**Red Diamond**

 **Chapter 7 is here!**

 **This can prove to be a small chapter, since I am not in the mood to write, because of a certain 'best friend'.**

 ***sighs***

 **We had been best friends for nine years, and this year, our classes got shuffled. She ended up in another class with comparatively 'popular girls' than me and the ones in my section.  
And guess what? She ditched me because I am not that 'cool' or 'boyfriend hungry' as she is, and because I don't gossip or flaunt the number of crushes (since I don't have one, honestly!) or wear skin-revealing clothes (my fashion sense is emo-like).**

 **All this happened a week ago, and I have been envious of every other best friend's group. I've just separated myself from everyone else. I'm freaking depressed.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Brothers Conflict, but Sabrina. I hope you enjoy the chapter despite my bad sense of humor and even worse sentence structures.**

* * *

Chapter 7: Settling in

Sabrina's POV

Masaomi and Ukyo showed me my room on the fourth floor. It had light-pink colored walls, and a huge glass window, from where I had the view of the flower garden. My bed was placed against a wall, and a study desk and a cupboard against the opposite wall. It was smaller than my previous room, but it looked more spacious since the previous one since it was crammed with 'memories'.

"It's great." I said. Masaomi told me that they had kept a map of the house on my desk. Then they exited the room, shutting the door behind them. I looked at the map. I got to know that Tsubaki, Azusa, Wataru, Masaomi, and Ukyo had their rooms on the same floor.

I threw myself on the bed. It was comfortable. _No shit Sherlock._

The room somehow looked empty to me. Maybe because all my life, I had lived in a messy room? The walls were empty, and thankfully, I had carried a few Shah Rukh Khan and MJ posters with me.

I decided to stick their posters on the walls and put my clothes in the cupboard.

(Ten. Minutes. Later.)

"It's done!" I proudly said, looking at the condition of my room. The walls looked pretty. Well... maybe not the cupboard.

Definitely not the cupboard.

My clothes were sticking out the closed doors of the poor cupboard. All thanks to me – I just threw them inside.

I opened the door of the cupboard, intending to keep the properly. The second I opened it, all the clothes oozed out of it. I breathed out a hard sigh.

Thus, I wasted the next few hours arranging my clothes.

O~O~O

I sat on the bed and removed my shoes. I hadn't even bothered to take them off since I came here. My laptop and music system were placed on the desk, and my clothes were safely kept inside the cupboard, with no danger of them oozing out like the previous time.

I heard a knock on the door. "It's open." I said, getting up from the bed. Tsubaki burst in the room, followed by Azusa.

"Hello there!" I said, and Tsubaki again hugged me.

"Give her some space, Tsubaki!" Azusa scolded. Then they took a better view of the room. "Isn't that Michael Jackson?" Tsubaki asked.

"Yes he is!" I exclaimed, "I'm a huge fan!"

"And who's that guy?" He said, pointing to Shah Rukh's poster. _Of course they don't know._ "He is a fabulous actor. I'm his fan too." I replied.

"Well, we came here to call you for the dinner." Azusa said. I looked at the clock, and it showed eight pm. _This early!_

"Do you guys, err, eat dinner at this time every day?" I asked, not wanting to hold back the curiousness.

"Oh yes we do. Don't you?" Tsubaki asked. Both of them had confusion evident on their faces.

"Umm... we generally eat at nine or so." I replied.

"That's too late. Would you be able to adjust?" Azusa asked.

I simply nodded, just not to be a bother, and said, "Sure! No worries, buddy." We then proceeded to take the elevator and go to the next floor. I knew that one way or another, I would get accustomed to their timings and schedules, so why not make an effort right there?

"It's gonna be hard to remember the rooms." I said, wanting to strike up a conversation. I was a talkative one; I needed something to talk about all the time, and I couldn't have gotten a better opportunity than there on the spot.

"No, it's easy! You can come to me anytime if you need any help~" Tsubaki said in a sing-song voice and earned a smack from Azusa. I giggled.

"You don't find this annoying?" Azusa asked.

I smiled and replied, "No. In fact, it's refreshing to be in this atmosphere again." Tsubaki wrapped an arm around my shoulders and declared, "Seems like we're gonna get along well."

I grinned and said, "Likewise." We reached the floor and got out of the elevator with a very happy Tsubaki. I stalked over to the kitchen to find Ukyo preparing dinner. I didn't know that he was the one who cooked; I definitely hadn't seen that coming.

"Good evening, have you prepared all this alone?" I asked with uncertainty in my voice as I looked at the delicious large bowls of food, steam hovering over them.

"'Evening, and yes I have." He said and smiled.

"You could've called me, and I would've helped you, Ukyo-san." I genuinely said, and I could've that I had seen a hint of surprise on his face for a mere moment, before he asked; "Do you know how to make Japanese food?"

I rubbed the back of my head and sheepishly said, "No, but I can learn how to do that. What is the internet for?" He grinned and resumed working, as I insisted to help him.

"Then, you can place the cutlery on the table the same way I have placed those two." He pointed to the two sets at the end of the table, "Sorry I couldn't place all of them as I had to look into all this." He said, referring to the food.

"Oh it's completely fine! I'll just go and do this." I said and started placing the utensils on the long dining table. Before I could finish that, a pair of tiny arms wrapped around my waist, and along with them came a little voice, "Onee-chan!"

I turned around to see the excited little Wataru smiling up at me. "So, how're you doin'?" I bent and asked. _Nice try, Joey Tribbiani._

"Good. Did you like your room?" He innocently asked.

"Very much. Thanks for asking that." I said and ruffled his hair. I then saw Yuusuke, Subaru, Louis, and Kaname descending down the stairs.

"Good evening!" I bowed and greeted them all.

"Y-yeah..." Yuusuke said. _Is he still pissed off?_

"Sup." I heard a faint reply from a blushing Subaru. _Why's he blushing again?_

Louis smiled nodded to let me know that he had acknowledged me. "Good evening, imouto-chan~ How are you feeling now?" Kaname asked with his flirty smile. I could see that he and Tsubaki were almost on the same line.

"Great! How about you, Kaname-san?" I politely asked.

"I'm good after seeing my lovely imouto-chan." He was clearly coaxing me, but I still felt a comfortable air around him. There was another issue about me – I come to trust people easily. It could sometimes prove to be a setback, but most of the time, it made me get along with people really quick. Like now, with Kaname, and all the others. Brothers were meant to protect, and even after spending lesser than a day with them, I believed that he wouldn't hurt me in any way.

"Stop with your dirty acts, Kaname." I heard an unfamiliar voice coming from the top of the stairs. I turned my head to look there and saw a man with silver-platinum hair and princely-looking face descending down the stairs. He wore a flawless white uniform, and he gently stalked up to us, keeping his relaxed face, but a noticeable hint of scowl behind it.

Kaname introduced him to me, "And this is the tenth son, Iori."

I bowed and said, "Pleasure to meet you, Iori-san. I am your step-sister." He smiled and bowed too, with another, "Pleased to meet you, hope my brother hasn't disturbed you very much." With me replying, "Oh no, I really enjoy his company."

He exhibited polite manners and spoke in a rather sophisticated tone. It reminded me of one of those Disney princes, you know, Prince Charming?

The dinner was indeed delicious – I hadn't had that tasty food made by a man before, and I was impressed. But a question still lingered in my mind – even after being busy as a lawyer, does he always make the food for the brothers?

I collected the utensils and stalked over to the kitchen, where Ukyo was washing the dishes. "May I help you?" I asked.

"Oh no, thank you." He replied. I insisted but he only refused. It didn't look good to just stand like that and watch the person who must be busy as hell work. So, I began wiping the wet dishes. I then asked him, "Ukyo-san, do you make food for them every day?"

"Well, yes. I also do the rest of the household chores, like washing clothes." He simply stated, and my jaw dropped.

"But you are a lawyer, aren't you?" The words automatically escaped out of my mouth.

"Yes I am," he said, wiping his hands, "But because Masaomi is always busy in his work, and mom rarely visits us, it is my duty to take care of my younger brothers."

"You must be tired too. Don't you prefer getting any rest?" I kept asking like a curious child.

He chuckled and said, "But can't deny my responsibilities. After all, we only have twenty four hours in a day." That was enough to make me come to respect him even more. I held his hand and gently said, "No need to take so much stress from now. I can do the household chores, while you can concentrate on your work and get some time to relax yourself."

A tint of redness appeared on his cheeks, and he said, "But you too, will be having a setback now, since you have to adapt to your new surroundings and catch up at school." I admit, I had completely forgotten about school, so that was a reminder.

"Don't worry; I'll be able to manage all that. I'm basically jobless!" I reassured him. He thought for a moment, and finally declared, "Okay, I won't put the entire burden on your shoulders, but you can help me."

I stepped back and saluted, "Just right, sir! When should I report tomorrow?"

He chuckled and said, "Six thirty tomorrow morning." _Who wakes up this early?!_ My hand slowly lowered, and I gave him a smile that said, "It's good!" But honestly, I wasn't used to waking up that early. If I had to report at six thirty, then I would definitely have to get up at five thirty because of my habit of dancing in the shower.

He must've read my weird expression, since I was busy making up my schedule in my mind when he interrupted, "Is it too early?"

"Uh, no. Not at all, I mean."

He smiled and said, "There's no need to force yourself, Sabrina." I nodded.

"Well, not at all, it's just that I'm a bit of a heavy sleeper..." I sheepishly said. _Heavy sleeper? Hah, no way. You do nothing but sleep._

Before he could say anything else, I said, "I'll be there." That's when Wataru came running form behind and tuuged on to my t-shirt. "Oh, hello Wataru!" I greeted him.

"Hello, onee-chan! Would you like to see Usa-tan?" He enthusiasitically asked. _Well, that's cute!_

"Of course, I'd love to!" I said, and he took me by my hand to his room.

We entered his room, and it was filled with toys. He had a lamp in shape of a teddy bear on his study table, and his bed had all kinds of fluffy stuff toys sitting on it. It resembled Arnav's room a bit, but I brushed that thought away. He showed me a blue teddy bear which he called Usa-tan. I liked how neatly it had been stitched, and how soft it was. No wonder Wataru loved it!

He showed me many of his toys while we sat on his bed, and the matress was extra-comfy. To add to the comfort, we had stuff toys all around it. We both soon felt dizzy, and he fell asleep while I stroked his hair; I barely caught myself from falling asleep. I looked at the wall-clock and realized that it was late. I had to return to my own room.

I tip-toed out of his room, and slowly closed the door behind me. I proceeded to go to my own room, and realized that I had forgotten where my room was. And me being the stupid me, I didn't bother to take the maps with me. _Congratulations! Now celebrate!_

"Shut up..." I said to my thoughts. They hardly ever helped me. _Ha, you can't stop me!_

"Wait, what?" I asked myself in a low voice. This was ridiculous! _Yeah, baby, you've gotta spend the night here in the hallway._

"Oh please, I can search for my room by going through the floors." I retorted. _Absolutely! You really confirmed me that you are a schmuck! So, you plan on going to each one's room, saying ,"Pee-ka-boo!" Intelligent._

"You just-" I began, but someone interupted, "What is our imouto-chan doing here at this time of the night?" It was Kaname.

"Oh, like, yes, I just... forgot where my room was..." I said, and he offered to take me to my room, which I willingly accepted.

 _At least thank him!_ We had reached the entrance of my room, and I hadn't even thanked him. I unlocked the room with a key, while he stood behind me. I turned to thank him, "Thank you, Kaname-san. If you weren't there, I would've ended up sleeping in the hallway."

He smirked, "You can always come to me if you need any help." He waited a moment before he spoke up, "New room, huh? Too scared to sleep alone? Want big brother to join you?" _Wait, where did this come from?_

"Certainly not." I simply replied, making sure that I didn't sound rude. He cupped one of my cheek in his strong hand, and passionately said, "Let's do it someday."

"Umm..." I wasn't sure how to answer that.

Then he leaned in and kissed my cheek, while I stood there like a dope, thinking "What the hell is happening?" He stood up straight, and said, "That was a good night's kiss. Good night, imouto-chan."

"Yeah, good night." He headed towards the elevator, and before going in, he said, "You can ask for more."

"No, thanks." And I walked into my own room. For a moment, my thoughts were like:

 _Wait, did a guy kiss you?_

 _Stupid, you should've punched him in the face!_

 _Like seriously, a good night's kiss?_

 _You've gotta be kidding me._

But I then calmed myself down. "First of all, he is my brother who kissed me, and that too, on the cheek, so big deal!" So, I simply flushed all my thoughts. Without any further ado, I went to sleep, afraid that I wouldn't be able to wake up on time next day.

* * *

 **Okay, this wasn't a small chapter at all. Rather, it was the longest I've written till date.**

 **You see, Kaname has this talent of making a person with him feel uncomfortable within seconds, and that's one of the reasons I hate him with a passion. And he really reminds me of Laito from Diabolik Lovers. I even caught myself writing 'Bitch-chan' instead of 'Imouto-chan' a few times.**

 **So, yes, I've seen that there were many people, like, literally many people who just viewed the first chapter and left. I'm not forcing any of you to read my story, but all I ask for is a review, because appreciation as well as constructive critisism, both are welcome.**

 **Yeah! Review!**

 **~Diamond Shyn**


	8. Chapter 8: Making Friends

**Red Diamond**

 **I'm here again, with a new chapter.**

 **And thank you, I feel better now. I hope you enjoy the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I am only playing with and fantasizing about the characters in my story. Otherwise, I do not own Brothers Conflict, but only my OC.**

* * *

Chapter 8: Making friends

Narrator's POV

The buzzing and ringing of her phone desperately tried to wake her up, but Sabrina was still in her unconscious state, floating in her fantasies. However, it didn't fail, as she soon began to stir. "Ah this stupid clock!" She said and put a pillow on her face, but was reminded of her last night's talk with Ukyo.

"...Bleh..." she slowly sat up, and ran her fingers through her tangled mess of hair she had long ago given up on. She took the sheets and toiletries with her and walked down the hallways, half awake. She stumbled again walls several times and said, "Oh, it's not the washroom." And continued walking.

She finally reached her destination in a single piece, and opened the door to reveal that tall guy with a towel wrapped around his waist and... okay, just a towel. Their eyes met for a second before she examined what he was wearing and turned. "Whoa! I'm... sorry" She was wide awake now.

"What happened?" He came to her, wondering what the hell happened to her.

"Um... you need clothes." She said, embarrassed.

"Ah, my bad!" He said and shut the door of the washroom. After he was decent, he came out and saw Sabrina waiting with her back pressed against a wall. As soon as she saw him, she immediately apologized, "I'm sorry for just breaking in like that."

"Uh, no. I-I mean, it's o-okay." He stammered.

Her face brightened up, "Do you always wake up this early?"

"Y-yes, for my basket ball practice."

"That's cool! I hope we can compete someday."

He was surprised, and he asked, wide-eyed, "You play basket ball?"

She exclaimed, "Of course I do! And football and track-and-field too. They're one of my favorites."

"Oh, nice." What else could he say? He was undoubtedly impressed. He had never encountered any girl who played these sports, but a certain one in her list of favorites reminded him of someone he disliked.

" _You need to run fast, kiddo! You wanna be a pro or not?"_ – A flash of an old memory came rushing down to him.

Obviously, he didn't have anything else to say.

"Excuse me, then." She said and walked into the washroom.

Sabrina locked the washroom door and double-checked it. When she was sure that it was safe and locked, she sighed. "Well, that was awkward." She mumbled.

She stripped and went into the washroom, more than satisfied with the size of the bath they had. After she had a long, relaxing bath, she wrapped herself with a towel, and turned on the songs on her phone on shuffle. Everything was fine, until Michael Jackson's _Beat It_ started blasting out of her phone.

Well, that was it.

She went crazy singing (rather shouting) out loud with the song and doing moonwalks and dancing. She lost the track of time and put the song on repeat. After the song had finished five times, her phone reminded her that it was six-thirty (she had set an extra alarm since she already knew this was going to happen) and she hurriedly changed into her clothes, which were her school uniform, and combed, and of course, muttered an apology to Michael Jackson for stopping his song in between.

"This uniform is comfy..." she said to herself, feeling the soft fabric on her body. It felt like it was stuffed with cotton, contrary to the uniform she had back in India.

She went down the stairs to find Ukyo already there. "I'm sorry for being late. I didn't hear the alarm" she lied, since she definitely couldn't tell him that she was dancing in the washroom like a maniac. She inwardly prayed that he hadn't heard the ruckus she had made in the washroom.

"It's absolutely fine. You can help me, though." He said, and Sabrina nodded. Both of them made a traditional, mouth-watering Japanese breakfast, and Sabrina was proud of her first attempt. She only hoped that the rest like it.

Soon, her much-awaited guests came down the stairs to the table.

"Good morning, onee-chan." Wataru said, rubbing his eyes.

"'Morning! Did you sleep well?" She bent as she asked the light-salmon haired boy.

"Yes, but did you?" He asked, and she nodded. She then saw the others descending down the stairs – the twins, Yuusuke, Subaru, Louis, and Masaomi.

"Kaname and Iori have already left. I just saw their messages." Ukyo informed her. Everyone said their greeting and took their seats, while she helped place the food on the table. Everyone tasted, and Sabrina held her breath and crossed her fingers under the table.

Right then, Ukyo announced, "Sabrina helped make food today. It's her first time making Japanese food." Everyone stopped eating.

"That's really good for a first try!" Tsubaki commented, and Azusa agreed, "Yes, sure it is."

"It tastes delicious, Sabrina" Masaomi appreciated.

"Indeed it is tasty." Louis too, praised.

"Yes! Onee-chan is a chef!" Wataru exclaimed.

"N-nice." Subaru said in a low voice.

"Yeah..." Yuusuke basically whispered.

"Thank you, guys. I just helped Ukyo-san. He is the real chef." Sabrina said, too happy with the remarks she had received. _You can definitely try your hand at Italian food._

"And you can definitely shut up." She said in an inaudible voice.

 _Oh you wish!_

"Not again..." She sighed. Sometimes this inner voice of hers - or as other call 'thoughts' – annoyed her. Her thoughts had a different brain altogether, but it was better than her own, so she preferred her thoughts. But these days, her thoughts were driving her crazy – like, asking her to smash an egg on her face while making the breakfast just a while ago. She liked to call it her 'mini-me', the more sarcastic side of hers.

"Is something wrong?" Masaomi asked, snapping her out of her conversation. There must have been some trace of annoyance on her face. "Uh, no. I was just... you know, wondering how the school will be like." She replied.

"Don't worry about that. Yuusuke will show you the school, and will be with you the whole time." At this, the redhead chocked on his food.

"What! Me?" He asked, horrified.

"Of course! Aren't you happy to stick with our little sister the whole time? If I were in your shoes, I would never leave this opportunity." Tsubaki teased, considering his tone, and the redhead grew red. _What's with this red shade? His favorite color or what?_

"But I, umm-"

"Dude, no questions, no arguments. I won't be exploring the school by myself on the first day. So, you're my guide for today. In return, I'll... um, uh, what can I do in return for you?" She asked, tapping a finger on her chin.

"You don't need to-"

"You can pretend to be his girlfriend." Tsubaki simply stated, while the redhead blushed furiously and the girl raised a brow, and a second later widened her eyes.

"You're telling me that this guy here doesn't have a girlfriend?" She asked, surprised.

"Nah he doesn't, because of his delinquent attitude." Azusa answered.

"Wha- where is this conversation going?" Yuusuke complained; his face couldn't get any redder.

"Then I know what I can do! You show me around the school, and I volunteer to help you find a girlfriend." She clapped her hands and had a bite of her breakfast; the rest gaped, except for Tsubaki who cheered, "That's like my sister!" Yuusuke wasn't in a state to say anything, his mouth only hung in astonishment. How ironic was this – the one whom he loved so much was going to find a partner for him.

"Then it's decided." Masaomi said, with a little amusement still in his voice.

"Uhm..." Wataru said in a slow voice, making everyone realize that he was still in the room, "Will onee-chan help me for that too?" _Wow._

Their mouths hung open. To expect this from Wataru – this was new. Now even Sabrina wasn't in a state to say something. She just coughed, and suddenly Ukyo reminded, "I-it's time to go." Everyone left without another word.

O~O~O

"That was weird!" Sabrina exclaimed. She and Yuusuke were traveling in the train to go to their school, which was crowded with people just like any other day. Yuusuke was holding on to the railing with his one hand, while his other hand was protectively around Sabrina, though it didn't touch. She was holding Yuusuke's arm which held the railing.

"Yeah, sure it was." Yuusuke remarked.

"But you seriously don't have any girlfriend?" She asked again.

"Huh?! No!" he snapped, and averted his eyes. "But yeah, on second thoughts, you never even mentioned any girl on Skype. That was so stupid of me. Sorry." She slightly smacked her head, and smiled.

"It's okay. Well, h-how was your first night?" He asked, trying to change the subject.

"It was good, thanks for your concern." She grinned.

"No I wasn't concerned!" He snapped, blushing, but regained his senses a moment later, "I-I mean, yes, like no, but yes, on some point, but actually-"

"I get it! You were concerned." She smirked, and he averted his eyes, "Mostly not..." He whispered, and she giggled.

O~O~O

They reached the school – it wasn't that magnificent, but appealing, to be precise – and the duo passed through groups of students hanging out, who soon noticed and stared at them – more at the new girl. As she observed the hallways and her new peers, she passed a simple smile. Some returned her the smile, while some kept staring as if they were exclusive pieces in an exhibition or animals at the zoo.

They reached their classroom, which was the same for both of them, entered and stalked over to Yuusuke's seat.

"That seat is empty." He pointed to the one beside him, and she kept her bag on it. There were many other empty seats too, but he intentionally told her for that specific seat, since it was beside him. He inwardly let out a victorious laugh, as if he had won some kind of competition.

But that was just the beginning.

"C'mon, let's explore the building." She asked, but he refused, "The class is about to begin in about five minutes. The teacher must be on her way."

"Okay... who's that girl?" She leaned with one arm on his shoulder and pointed at a platinum-blonde haired girl, who was right at that time making an eye contact with her.

"That's Imai Mahoko. She sits next to you." He replied. Mahoko approached her and greeted, "Hello, are you new here?"

"Yes I am. It's Sabrina Ka- Asahina." She was still used to saying 'Kapoor'. She stuck out her hand for a handshake.

"And this is Imai Mahoko. Nice to meet you." They both smiled at each other, while Yuusuke commented in the background, "You're real fast at making friends."

"You know him? Don't be offended but you don't look like you are a Japanese native." Mahoko asked, raising a brow.

Before Yuusuke could stop her, she spilled out, "Yeah, I'm his new sister." Mahoko stood agape. _Just how many people are you gonna surprise today? The day has just started! Relax!_

It all made sense to Mahoko now. Their last names were similar; the new girl was standing comfortably with Yuusuke, the tsundere boy who doesn't easily make friends.

Yuusuke only face palmed. Seeing her fellows' reactions, she genuinely asked, "Did I say something wrong?"

"Absolutely not!"

"Mahoko, just don't spread this news around. I don't want any rumors." Yuusuke pleaded, and it seemed suspiciously strange to Sabrina. _This dude's acting strange... will a punch do good?_

"Shut up, please!" She silently begged her inner self to not intervene at the wrong time. Just then, the bell rang, indicating that it was the time for the first slot. Many other students entered the class and began staring at her. _Why are they looking at you as if you've committed a murder?_

The teacher entered the next moment. Everyone stood up and greeted the brown-haired, thin teacher, who looked like she was in her late-twenties. "Good morning, class. I would like to introduce you all to a new student." She said and motioned Sabrina to come in front.

"Hello there, everyone! This is Asahina Sabrina, you new classmate. I hope we get along well." She said. _You could've acted like a rock star or just said that you don't give a shit to them all._ She inwardly face-palmed. Sound of murmur erupted in the classroom, and a few students looked in Yuusuke's way the second they heard the name 'Asahina'.

Later that day in the recess, when Mahoko and Sabrina were in the canteen, Yuusuke clarified it to his classmates that it was a co-incidence that their last names were same, and they were not related at all. It was to his relief when everyone accepted the fact that they weren't connected in any way. Of course, how could he hurt his delinquent reputation, just because he loved a girl, who was his... sister?

Things were complicated as hell for him.

O~O~O

"Sabrina-san, are you sure you don't want a tutor to help you cover up the topics you've missed?" Her teacher asked again.

"I'm sure, ma'am." Sabrina reassured.

"Fine, then. But if you face any difficulty in future, feel free to ask me."

"Sure ma'am, thanks for your concern." She bowed and joined Yuusuke and Mahoko who were waiting for her at the school gates. It had just been a day and all her classmates, especially Mahoko, had taken a liking to her already.

"Are you sure? Math is real hard." Mahoko asked.

"Yeah, I'm gonna test myself if I can do this by myself or not." She replied.

"I can bet that you're gonna need a tutor."

"I hope not."

"Plus, I've heard that he's really hot! He's twenty one and has just joined the school. You better not miss this opportunity – girls are fawning over him already!" Mahoko exclaimed, and Sabrina rolled her eyes, "Do I look interested?"

Mahoko pouted, "Why, don't you like dating boys?"

"No, that's a waste of time."

"No crush?"

"Nah." At her answer, Yuusuke looked more than relieved.

"That's strange. I mean, any other girl has a crush on my boyfr- never mind." Sabrina and Yuusuke stopped and looked at Mahoko, who blushed red.

"You have a boyfriend?" Yuusuke exclaimed.

"Who is the lucky guy?" Sabrina asked and smirked as Mahoko grew ever redder.

"It's... Sasakura" She whispered, and Yuusuke's eyes shot wide open.

"Sasakura... the monitor, huh?" Sabrina asked, and Mahoko nodded.

"Sasakura – that playboy! Are you kidding me?" Yuusuke asked in disbelief.

"No, that's not true! He isn't a playboy at all! That is just to ruin his reputation." Mahoko protested. The rest of the way, Mahoko and Yuusuke argued if that Sasakura-guy was a playboy or not. While Yuusuke explained that he had broken many hearts, Mahoko stood firm on her point. Sabrina could only hope that Mahoko was right – she didn't want to see her heartbroken.

They reached the Sunrise Residence, and they argued till the time Sabrina and Yuusuke were inside the building. "I'm telling you he is a playboy!" Yuusuke came inside the lift saying this.

"Dude, Mahoko isn't anywhere here. It's just me. If you want, I can call him 'The Playboy'. Good?" She said and Yuusuke calmed down.

* * *

 **I hope I didn't disappoint any of you.**

 **Thank you for the reviews/favorites/follows. The story will be updated very soon; keep reading!**

 **Diamond Shyn**


	9. Chapter 9: The Orange-haired Brother

**Red Diamond**

 **YEAH, I'VE GOT THIS FREAKING WRITER'S BLOCK AND I'M FORCING THE CHAPTER OUT OF MYSELF. Sorry if it's gonna be disappointing.**

 **Like wow, I was just thinking how I'll write the next few chapters and now I'm here, looking at the screen, wondering what I should write, with my mind completely blank. Duh!**

 **NOOOOO GOD SAVE ME I'M CRYING!**

 **Anyway, I HOPE, I REALLY REALLY HOPE, that this chapter makes sense.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own this wonderful anime, Brothers Conflict.**

* * *

Chapter 9: The Orange-haired Brother

Sabrina's POV

I didn't know why, but I was pretty worn out after the first day of school. I just prayed to God that I don't fail in my exams, since it was just the _first_ day of school, and my condition was similar to a man that ran three thousand kilometers. Without any break. _Okay, that doesn't make any sense._

I went into my room and threw myself on the bed, with my limbs spread on the mattress like a starfish, staring at the ceiling. _Why, is it so interesting?_

"No, it isn't. I just don't feel like moving to get my headphones from the table." I silently droned.

 _You deserve a round of applause for that excuse._

"Yeah... thank you, fans!" I said and giggled at my own joke. _Was it even a joke?_

I sighed, and rose from the bed with all my might, and yawned a thousand times. I finally changed into a t-shirt and jeans, took my headphones, and walked out of my room for some coffee.

While I took the elevator, I again changed the settings to shuffle. It was Alan Walker's _Faded_ till the time I reached the fifth floor and started making coffee. The floor was deserted; I was the only soul wandering in the huge hall. As I started devouring by beloved drink, the song changed to Melanie Martinez's _Tag, you're it._ The coffee had given me enough energy, plus, it was one of my favorite songs, so I couldn't control myself and closed my eyes, and started swaying and swirling with the beats, bumping into some furniture every now and then. But I didn't mind, since it was a great song filling my ears, blocking the sound of the world, although there was no sound anywhere around.

Because of I was lost in the tune, I didn't realize that the elevator had opened and someone had walked into the hall. Till the time I bumped into a tall figure and fell back on my bottom.

"Miss, are you alright?" The guy asked.

I opened my eyes to see a tall man with orange hair staring down at me with concern in his eyes. He was dressed in formal attire but with his coat hung on his arm and neck tie loosened. The moment was awkward. Like, I didn't even know this guy whom I crashed into. To add to the embarrassment, I was just dancing, oh, _floating._

"Miss?" He asked, snapping me out of my embarrassed state. I realized that I had been looking at him the whole time. He gave me a hand, and I took it gratefully to stand up. I lowered the headphones to my neck, which were now bursting with _In the name of love._

"Yes, thanks, and sorry for that. I was just, you know, dancing." I replied, looking at the ground.

"That's okay. But, I haven't seen you here before." He said.

"Oh yes, I completely forgot to introduce myself. I'm Sabrina Asahina." I smiled.

"Asahina? Then you must be-" He began, but another cheerful voice cut in, "Hey Natsume! Seems like you already met our little sister!" It was Tsubaki, accompanied by Azusa. I remained silent.

"This is our brother, Natsume. We three are triplets." Azusa declared, and Tsubaki continued, "Azusa and I were born from the same egg, while he was born form another."

"Oh, I see." I said and smiled, "Nice to meet you, Natsume-san." It turned out that he was out of town for a few days because of some business meeting. I remembered that he worked in a company that manufactured video games, with their most recent and their most popular one being 'Zombie Hazard'. _The name seems pretty good; maybe you can ask him what the game is all about._ I nodded to myself.

Later that day, when Subaru returned from his practice, I swear I saw him glaring at Natsume. As soon as he saw me, he averted his eyes. _What's up there?_ He didn't even greet Natsume; he smoothly ignored him. At the the dinner table too, Subaru sat at the other end of the table, far away from him. I didn't know if I was observing a bit too much or what, but it certainly didn't seem okay.

"How was imouto-chan's first day of school?" Kaname, seated in front of me, asked as if I was some little schoolgirl who had just attended her very first day of school.

"It was good. The people were friendly." I responded.

"Did you find someone for our Tsundere?" Tsubaki, who sat on my right, asked me, showing a cheeky grin to Yuusuke. Natsume seemed surprised. "Not again Tsubaki." Azusa tried to stop us, probably because Wataru was there and nobody wanted a repeat of the morning's scene.

"Are you seriously going to get in a relationship?" Natsume questioned him, raising his eyebrow. I heard a few muffled laughs from here and there.

"N-no! Why me?!" Yuusuke burned crimson. I tried hard to not laugh, since I was the culprit who had turned his day into hell. The boy was blushing since morning!

Yuusuke looked at me for explanation, and I cleared my throat and said in a theatrical voice, "Ah, no, he denied, and broke many girls' hearts! He's a heartbreaker!" Yuusuke looked as if he was about to faint. A few looked at me with shocked faces and wide eyes, while the rest – precisely Tsubaki, Kaname, Masaomi, Louis, Azusa, and me started giggling and that soon turned into laughter.

"S...so...sorry... Yuusuke!" I said while laughing.

"Yuusuke is the 'heartbreaker' now?" Kaname asked, and chuckled.

Tsubaki approached him, put a hand around his neck, and faked crying and said, "He grew up so fast!" We laughed more, and this time, the ones who were earlier shocked started laughing too.

We finally stopped laughing on Yuusuke's protests, although, he looked pretty funny as his cheeks matched the color of his hair. However, I made a point to apologize to him later. During the dinner, I also learnt that the room I'm now using used to be Natsume's room before he moved out to live alone. I didn't really see the point of shifting out of the house where you've spent your childhood, but I realized I was in no place to say that. Otherwise too, it was his decision and his reason. _Who cares? Now shut up._

After a long, lively dinner, and washing the utensils, I followed Yuusuke to the balcony and stopped him before he entered the balcony. "Wait!" I said, and he flinched.

"Oh, it's you." He said, and breathed out in relief. _Any plans to apologize?_

"I'm sorry for the dinner. Umm..." I didn't know what else to say, so I looked at my feet.

"It's okay." He said. I looked up and saw that he was still a bit pissed off.

"Oh c'mon, Yuusuke, you know I am an idiot, don't you? No need to take it so seriously. I'm sorry if it was hurtful." I said. This time, he genuinely smiled and said, "No, it's really okay. I was a bit embarrassed though..."

We chatted for a little while, and he remembered that he had some homework to do, and rushed to his room. I smiled victoriously, knowing that I didn't have any homework since it was my first day. But that smile vanished real soon when I came back to my senses and realized that I would have to study extra hard to pass the exams.

Sighing, I went into the balcony. The weather was cold and windy, and I watched the bright city lights as the wind played around me. The city looked beautiful at night, illuminated by the lights beaming out of tall buildings far ahead. It was cold outside, and wearing a sleeveless t-shirt was me being simply underdressed, so I wrapped my arms around myself and gently rubbed my upper arms with my palms.

Someone then put his coat over my shoulders. I turned to see that it was Natsume, with a cigarette in his hand. "Ah, thanks." I said. He stood beside me and we both leaned on the railing and watched the view.

"I'm kinda... sorry for the first impression. I just went with the flow. You know, the effect music has on you." I sheepishly said, looked at him standing by my side.

He faced me and chuckled, and took out a business card from his pocket. "It's fine. Here's my card. You can call me whenever you're in trouble, or when Tsubaki is being a jerk." I took the card and asked him, "What kind of games does your company make? I'm interested."

"Are you a gamer?" He asked, surprised.

"Oh yes, especially action-packed which are hard to crack. I started playing games a year ago and now I'm addicted to them!" I explained.

"Well, then, would you like to try our most recent game 'Zombie Hazard'?"

"I would love to."

"But that won't be easy at all. You can start with an easy one."

"No, I prefer the hard one." I suggested, and he first looked at me in amazement, but then grinned. "Let's see, then." He smirked. I too, smirked, and we looked back at the city, this time, talking. I got to know that his and Tsubaki's hair color was originally black, like Azusa's, but they dyed their hair so that there would be no confusion.

He had to go back to his apartment soon, but he promised to give me a sample of the game's new version as soon as it will be ready. I smiled and thanked him, and went into my room to collapse on my bed.

* * *

 **Pretty short, huh?**

 **I was absent today, and as usual, nothing happens when I'm present, but a LOT happens when I flunk the day. So what happened today? My friend told me that I became the HEAD DISCIPLINE INCHARGE OF THE SENIOR WING (there shall be a mistake, definitely!), two boys of our class were wrestling in the substitution period and the principal entered our class right at that moment (you can get an idea of what happened afterwards), and a teacher who left the job long ago (and was my favorite, too) came back to school, and a girl from another class was caught with a phone. Like yeah, I missed the WHOLE thing...**

 **I hope this chapter wasn't bad. I needed to introduce Natsume, and I came up with this. It may have been a bit like the anime but trust me, you cannot write anything good when you are happy because of getting elected as the head discipline incharge, and depressed because of not being able to think of something good for the story. You know, having mixed emotions.**

 **I hope this writer's block is over soon so that I can write something good. Please don't forget to review, and follow/favorite if you want to (please again!).**

 **Diamond Shyn**


	10. Chapter 10: A Teacher?

**Red Diamond**

 **Writer's block** **is a condition, primarily associated with** **writing** **, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work, or experiences a creative slowdown. The condition ranges in difficulty from coming up with original ideas to being unable to produce a work for years...**

 **This definition on Google scared me to death, like, not coming up with any idea for years! If that happens, I would soon be seen in a mental asylum...**

 **My mind is empty – I know how to end the story, the romantic moments, sequence of the conflict; I have the story ready in my mind – but nothing is produced.**

 **For example, yesterday, I wanted to write something really deep, but I ended up writing 'People die if they are killed.' See?**

 **However, guys, believe me I'm trying my best, and we NEED more reviews/favs/follows. We can do better than 3 favs and 4 follows, right?**

 **Disclaimer – Thank God I do not own Brothers Conflict! (But my OCs though)**

* * *

Chapter 10: A Teacher?

Sabrina's POV

"God, what is this?" I cried, looking at the textbook, figuring out what on earth was printed on its pages. Math was damn easy, but science was a different story altogether. I was so sure that I was going to fail the finals.

"I wish that instead of an apple, the whole tree fell on that Newton guy. No Newton, no stupid laws, game over!" Yuusuke and Mahoko snickered watching the struggling me sitting between them. Thankfully, the teacher wasn't in the room at the moment, since she had left to fetch the sheets for the science pop quiz, which was to be taken in the next fifteen minutes.

"Don't you guys find this difficult? What are you laughing at?" I asked those two who were laughing at me in my face. Yuusuke stopped laughing and said, "This chapter is pretty easy. Even I can do it." My mouth fell open. _Even this guy can do it! Silly!_

"You're weird, Sabrina-chan. You are not able to do this chapter, but can solve the most difficult math problems in an instant. Are you an alien?" Mahoko asked, folding her arms.

"Math is easy if you practice. It's like an addiction once you're interested, like dance? Or coffee? Oh, coffee!" I dreamily sighed, and suddenly felt an urge to have coffee. _You're thinking about coffee now? Seriously, dude?_

As I hurried through the pages, understanding absolutely nothing, the teacher entered and walked to my desk.

"Sabrina-san?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"As you haven't studied this chapter with us, I suggest you not to take the quiz this time."

"O-oh, sure, that's fine, I guess." I tried to act as cool and mature on the outside, but internally I was squealing, relieved enough to not give the test. Before she went, I asked her, "Ma'am, um, can I consult the teacher for extra classes? For science, I mean. I'm having difficulty studying it."

She looked surprisingly glad, and said, "Sure! I'll tell him after this slot. You can meet him after school."

"Thank you, ma'am." I said, and sat, and Mahoko exclaimed, "So you're finally gonna study by the hottie?"

"Okay, so when did the guy I've never before seen become 'the hottie'?" I asked.

"Of course, you cannot call your teacher a hottie!" Yuusuke yelled at Mahoko, grabbing the attention of the rest of the class. "Oh shit!" He said and hid his face, and I sighed.

O~O~O

The day had ended, and I and Yuusuke were waiting outside the school building for the new teacher.

"How much time is that guy gonna take?" Yuusuke said, pissed off as usual.

"No need to wait- Oh, we finally meet" A muscular, tall man, dressed up in brown pants and blue t-shirt, with his light-brown hair disheveled, stalked up to me with big steps, grabbed my hand and placed a kiss on it. _Is he Kaname's long lost twin?_

Yuusuke, who was standing behind me, completely freaked out. "Hey, what do you think you're doin'?" He yelled. Our class teacher came running behind and with heavy breaths, she explained, "Sabrina, that's Mr. David Wilde, your teacher for extra classes." Yuusuke's and my mouths fell open.

" _He_ is the teacher?" Yuusuke asked, pointing a finger in David's direction, still recovering from the shock.

"That's not how you address a teacher, Asahina-kun." She said, frowning, and excused herself to go back to the building to attend to some business.

While Yuusuke muttered an apology, I realized that my new 'teacher' wasn't Japanese at all, considering his face's features and his name itself. I straightened my back and greeted him, "Nice to meet you, sir. I'm Sabrina Asahina, and this is my-"

"-friend, Yuusuke Asahina." He interrupted me and concluded my sentence. He looked at David as if he was going to eat him up. I turned around and tried to ask him through facial expressions, but he didn't reply.

"But you both have the same last names." David inquired.

"That's a simple coincidence." Yuusuke rudely replied before I could speak. _What's up with him?_

"I see. Now, I think we need to study, don't we, Sabrina-chan?" David asked, looking fiercely at Yuusuke but his voice calm and kind of sweet. _Sabrina-chan? Who allowed him to use that?_

"Umm... right..." I said, looking at Yuusuke, and he gaped at me. _Seriously, what's wrong?_

"We should go now, then!" David excitedly said and took me inside the building by my hand, holding it gently. While walking, I turned and looked at Yuusuke, who was still looking at me.

O~O~O

"... And that's how we get to the answer. Got it?" David explained, and I nodded. He wasn't that bad at teaching, but most of the time he was winking and trying to charm me. At least he was a help; the concepts were clearer now.

"Well, thank you sir. That helped a lot." I said, standing up and gathering my books.

"You're going already?" He asked, getting up.

 _Nope, I'll be waiting here till you marry._ I really wanted to say that but restricted myself at the last lucky moment, and said, "Yes, I need to go home right now. Thank you again.' I smiled and left.

By the time I reached home, I was completely drained of my energy. I exited the lift to enter the fifth floor and descended down the stairs, to see Yuusuke sitting there tapping his foot, as in waiting for someone. He looked up, and a gentle smile graced his features.

"You're back? How was the class? Did that guy do anything to you?" He asked, standing up and stalking up to me.

"Oh, he did nothing to me, and the class was good. Why so worried?" I asked him, keeping a hand on his shoulder.

"Um, i-I didn't like that guy. I doubt he is a teacher." He said and regained his angry-Yuusuke face.

"Me too, that guy's kinda, you know, not teacher-like. He'd rather be a gym instructor or something." I agreed, and Yuusuke looked at me a bit hesitantly.

"What's the matter?" I asked him, and he slowly asked, "Do you... like him? N-no! Not like that! I mean, the way the other girls do?"

I smiled and replied, "Of course not. You know me – I don't fall for teachers and guys from here and there." He looked relived. I wondered what the matter was again, but chose not to ask.

"Were you waiting for me this whole time?" I suddenly asked, and a hue of red showed on his cheeks.

"U-uh, yes. But it's not like that!" He said and shrieked out a sudden, and turned his face away – our typical Yuusuke. I giggled.

"What's there to giggle?" He asked, looking at me from the corner of his eye. I replied, "That's so sweet of you!"

He was surprised and blushed red, and exclaimed, "Hah! It's not what you think!"

"But what did I think?"

"N-nothing." I laughed again at his cute reaction, as he blushed more.

O~O~O

It was late in the afternoon; the weather was about fine, considering it was Mid-November, and I peeped outside the window, and see three birds sitting on the railing of the balcony, busy among themselves. The sound of their chirping was nerve-calming. I shifted the glass and slowly stepped outside, not intending to disturb them. I looked down at the flower beds. My sight went to the guy with platinum hair working in there. It was Iori, in a casual wear.

I rushed downstairs to find him still working. "Hey, Iori." I said, waving at him.

"Hello, Sabrina." He stood up and brushed the dirt off his hands.

"Can I join you?"

"Sure you can." He said, and I stalked up to his spot and sat down next to him. He was planting coral roses, and I joined him to do that. He offered planting tools, but I politely refused, saying, "No thanks, I prefer using my hands."

"That's good, because even I do." He smiled. His smile was... one of a kind. I wouldn't exaggerate it by saying that it was prince-like, but it was. The kind that can instantly charm anyone, and the body-language that makes you envy his entire existence, he was the definition of perfection to me.

"How is your school going?" He asked, and I replied, "It's good. I like how the other students accepted me quickly, like I was accepted here in the house."

"That's good to hear. I hope Kaname hasn't been annoying you, because I'm aware of his womanizing nature."

"No; in fact, it feels refreshing to have so many people around you, with each one being different. And the best part is that we live under one roof. Your childhood must've been pretty interesting this way." I spoke, watering a rose I just planted.

"Yes, it was, to some extent. Masaomi and Ukyo, being the eldest two, concentrated in studying, though Masaomi was a bit more carefree than Ukyo. Kaname was a playboy since his school days; he stayed busy collecting the numbers of girls from his grade. Hikaru liked to observe people – and tease Ukyo. Later on, he started writing after a lot of observation. Tsubaki and Azusa were inseparable, and so were Natsume and Subaru. Louis was the most distant.

"Soon enough, Yuusuke, Fuuto, and Wataru were born, but everyone had already matured till then. I found interest in studying, and I kept myself busy doing that. But yes, in family gatherings, we do have some interesting conversations. That's the time I love having brothers." He explained, his smoldering smile resurfacing, and it was good to hear that. After all, if you grow up in a family of thirteen brothers, you do have a lot to say. I watered another rose I had planted while he was speaking. However, I wondered about the Natsume-Subaru thing. He mentioned that they were really close when they were young, then what happened that Subaru chose not to even talk to him?

"Just as I guessed – it was great!"

"You're one of those very few people who consider this great." He said with a hint of laughter in his voice.

"Why is that?" I asked, perplexed.

"People think that being the tenth son is stressful to some extent. You basically have nine older brothers who order you around. It's not true, to be honest."

"They have their own perspective, of course. I'm sure it's not true."

"Yes, but I never did order the younger three, too. Poor Natsume was the only one who surrendered to Tsubaki's commands all the time, however embarrassing they may be. That used to be a subject of a good laugh back when we were younger." Iori said and chuckled.

"Like?" I asked, and he described an incident when the teen Natsume embarrassed himself in front of the girls in his class, due to some stupid command by Tsubaki. Natsume ignored Tsubaki for a long week, but gave in when Azusa convinced him.

We were done with planting an hour later, and we headed inside the building with muddy hands. We were on the third floor to wash our hands, while on the way we encountered Subaru exiting his room.

"You're back early today." Iori asked him.

"Yeah, coach told us to rest for an hour, since the practice is going to be 'til late hours today. The game is tomorrow." Subaru answered him, and then he looked at me, as if wanting to speak something but not saying it out. I was more than interested in watching his game, so I asked him, "Can I come to watch your game tomorrow? Please?"

He smiled and said, "Yes. N-now I need to go." He took the lift to exit, and we went to wash out hands. "I'm sorry, but I need to make a project for tomorrow. Hope we can talk later." Said Iori after we cleaned ourselves.

"No, it's fine. All the best with that." I said and trotted off to my own room to check out some new songs over the internet, and as always, ended up at some random site, taking the quiz to find out what kind of 'dessert' I was.

* * *

 **Longer than the one before, since I've been checking out sites to overcome writer's block, and thankfully they are helping.**

 **For instance, let me share with you what I have done to overcome it (maybe help someone suffering from the nightmare):-**

 **1)I wrote down random scenes in my mind for the further story**

 **2)I wrote without editing**

 **3)I read a LOT**

 **4)I consumed coffee more than before (though I'm an addict!)**

 **5)At last, I slept (I'm a heavy sleeper too!)**

 **Hope this helps someone out there...**

 **Another thing: I felt that the story was abandoned, looking at the number of views and my suddenly disappeared reviewers. I don't know if is not sending a mail to update the followers or what, I already did that job. I, thus, uploaded this chapter in hopes of getting some more views, at least. I hope you all like the story till now. If not, feel free to tell me how you'd like it in the upcoming chapters through a review.**

 **Expecting to regain the love.**

 **Diamond Shyn**


	11. Chapter 11: Basketball Match

**Red Diamond**

 **Chapter 11 is here! This will be a short one, since I didn't like to call it a bonus chapter (and because it's not!)**

 **On with the story now! Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: No, again, I do not own Brothers Conflict.**

* * *

Chapter 11: Basketball Match

Sabrina's POV

The next day, after school, I went to this Sports Stadium Subaru had later informed me about. Since I was new to the city, I was escorted to the stadium by Yuusuke, who unfortunately couldn't accompany me, thanks to his supplementary class for math. I didn't have my extra science class today; I was told that he was busy somewhere else, but I presume flirting or making out with some date of his. Anyhow, it was good for me.

I entered the Stadium and sat in the front row. At that time, only a few people were present inside, but the place filled up pretty quick, with people holding banners for their favorite teams. A couple of minutes later, the players lined up, and the game started. I cheered on and on for Subaru, but stopped when I suddenly saw Natsume at the other end of the stadium. He wasn't looking at me. I wanted to call out to him, but chose otherwise, since I wanted to know the problem between them. I knew I was being nosy but I couldn't help it.

Thankfully, I had a scarf around my neck, and with the help of the sea-green colored fabric, I covered the lower half of my face. I must've been looking like a spy or something, but I didn't mind. _C'mon, quit acting like an American spy!_

"And don't you wanna know what's up with them?" I silently asked myself, the scarf helping to not let any voice outside.

 _Yes, duh!_

"Then keep shut!" I silently snapped at myself, oh, my _inner_ self. That must sound stupid to some normal human being.

While watching the game, I wondered if Natsume had been invited by Subaru, because they were acting like strangers back there at home. The game was going smooth; Meiji was easily winning, with Subaru in the lead. He played really well, I must admit, and was happy for the challenge I gave him earlier, which was to play basketball with me. Losing to a good competitor is always better than winning over a competitor weaker than you. _Look at you, overconfident freak! You sure are learning things from me._

Next moment, I saw Natsume walking out, speaking to someone on his phone. I took off my scarf to breath. _That was suffocating!_ I began cheering for Subaru, as he took the ball from his opponent and ran for the basket. But I swear I saw him... look at me for a second, and then resume his game, successfully putting the ball across the basket. Everyone on my side cheered, but I saw Natsume walking back in, so I covered my face again.

The game ended soon after, but fearing that Natsume would recognize me, I ran back home.

Narrator's POV

Sabrina escaped at the right time through the crowds that were emptying from the stadium, because Natsume thought to have had a glimpse of her, though, he didn't search for her, deciding he was just hallucinating. However, through the crowds, there was a pair of desperate eyes searching for the brunette that had just made a run.

"Asahina! Come back here! Let's celebrate!" His team mate called for him.

"Yeah..." He muttered, as he stood in the middle of the now almost-empty stadium, passing fingers through his short black hair.

O~O~O

The same night, after dinner, Subaru gathered up the courage to thank Sabrina for coming to the game. He knocked on her bedroom's door, and it opened a second later.

"Oh, hey, Subaru," She said with a heart-warming smile.

"Hey, um, thanks for coming to the game." He said, a blush creeping up his cheeks slowly. _Why can't I stop blushing when I'm around her!_ He thought.

"You're welcome. You played really well; you guys easily defeated the opponent's team."

"T-thanks. W-would you like to come to m-my next game?" He asked, desperately trying to not make eye contact, but miserably failing. He forced himself not ask her why she left early.

"Certainly! Thanks a ton for inviting me!" She beamed. Inwardly, she wanted to know their problem, and decided to just suck it up and ask.

"Umm," she started, "Did you invite Natsume too? I-I mean, I saw him there." She tried not to look offensive.

This angered Subaru a bit, and he said in a tone snappy than before, "I didn't invite him!" He turned to go, but Sabrina said, "I'm sorry, I was just... _curious._ I'm sorry if I was intrusive." She inwardly cursed herself for her stupidity.

He turned to look at her. "No, it isn't your fault. You don't need to apologize. I'm sorry for just barking out like that." He said calmly, with a little smile on his face. She too, smiled, and said, "I'll be looking forward to the next game. When is it?"

"Fourth of December." He replied. They both waited a moment, with no one having nothing to say. Sabrina ended the silence, "Good night, then."

"Yeah, good night." He said and took the elevator to go to his own room, with unsaid words swimming in his head.

* * *

 **TOO SHORT, but that's it. I intended to write a short chapter for this, probably because we'll be having a small time skip in the next chapter.**

 **Review! Fav and follow too, if you like! Keep reading!**

 **At your service,  
Diamond Shyn **


	12. Chapter 12: The Haughty 'Hottie' Idol

**Red Diamond**

 **Again, here, with chapter 12.**

 **Do you know how heartbreaking it is to see that 190 people just viewed the first chapter, and rejected the story right off the bat? To be honest, one needs a hell of patience to watch BroCon, since there could've been fifty more cute moments which they ruined, thanks to Juli.**

 **Duh, I'm not depressed or anything. By the way, thanks for another fav! 3**

 **My ten year old sister knows the anime I write about here on fanfic (though she hasn't read any), so she came to me yesterday and asked me if she could watch BroCon, and I clearly refused. After a lot of pleading and begging, I gave in by saying, "I take no guarantee, so watch it at your own risk." I'm afraid if she has crossed Tsubaki's kiss episode. What kind of an elder sister am I, allowing my sister to see kisses between siblings?**

 **In this chapter, I'll try to bring the spotlight on some forgotten points. (Yes, I forgot our dear Fuuto-kun. I'm a total idiot.)**

 **I hope you like the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer:** _ **~Got a secret, can you keep it?  
Swear this one you'll save.  
I do not own Brothers Conflict  
The creators ain't naïve.~**_

 **Secret by The Pierces. Yes, I know it was lame. You got the message, right?**

* * *

Chapter 12: Meet The Haughty 'Hottie' Idol

Sabrina's POV

"Wait, what? Are you telling me that there's no dance troupe here?" I exclaimed with wide eyes, gaining attention of the other students present in the hallway.

"Not really, calm down. There is a troupe which hardly ever dances. That's the reason our school has never won any awards in dance competitions." Mahoko said, and I still couldn't believe what she had told me. I looked at Yuusuke in astonishment, and he too, shook his head. _Damn!_

"Then we'll make a dance troupe!" I declared, and Mahoko looked at me in disbelief, to give me this heartbreaking news – "No one is interested in dancing here." _You've gotta run away from here, right now, Sabrina._

"It's... okay, we'll convince some people. It's easy. Like, kinda..." I whispered the last part. This school was known to have active participation in many fields, but why not dancing?

"In fact, you've got some help at home, too. You guys are _Fuuto Asakura's_ siblings; he's such an amazing dancer! I wonder how it would be to live with him." She dreamily said, and Yuusuke whispered, "Ugh! That bastard!"

I heard it and giggled, and asked him, "You don't like him?"

"He's one hell of a brother!" He exclaimed, red with anger, "That brat has no respect! I have no idea how high he thinks of himself-"

"Asahina!" One of his friends, who were leaning on the window pane behind, called for him, and he turned. "Sorry, looks like I have to go." He said and went to join them.

"Thank god he left; otherwise, he would have been in for a good argument." Mahoko fumed, looking at the poor redhead, "How can he talk like this about Fuuto-kun!"

"Seems like you're too fond of him. My bad, I haven't even met the guy." I admitted.

"He's handsome – hot! His voice is absolutely mesmerizing, and his dance moves are incredible. You are way too lucky to have him as your brother." She droned on and on about how 'Asakura Fuuto' would be. In my mind, I had this personality of him being courteous and gentle, but a little spoiled, just as Yuusuke said. He always exaggerates things, so I wasn't sure of how much 'bratty' this guy could be.

Mahoko and I exited the school building, and I waited alone for Yuusuke, since Mahoko had a date with Sasakura, for which I had teased her enough throughout the day. As I waited, I wondered how the time flew by. I hadn't even noticed, but it was already the second day of December. Not much had changed from last month – a lively family, a boisterous Mahoko, a flirting David, and very little dance – yes, it was pretty much the same.

As I observed the shapes of the clouds, Yuusuke came out of the building. I noticed that his sleeves were torn, and his hair was messed up.

"Whoa whoa, dude. What happened?" I approached him and asked.

"Just... fell from the stairs." He replied, and I could easily detect that he was lying. But I didn't ask him why. I checked if there were any injuries on his arms. Apparently, there were a few cuts.

"We need to get you home now." I said and helped him with his bag, even after his refusals.

We got home, and I began dressing his wounds in the living room. "You don't need to do that." He said, not losing his strong-man demeanor.

"Oh, I need to do that." I said as I removed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. Then, I dabbed a wet cloth on the injuries, and soon after applied the skin cream. I noticed there was a mark on his neck, too, so I leaned on and moved his hair to the side to dab the wet cloth. He told me to leave it quite a few times, but I was determined to not listen to him. Poor guy just reluctantly sat there, blushing the whole time, as I hovered over half of his body.

"Done. Feelin' better now?" I asked him, and he shyly nodded. I stood up on my feet followed by the redhead. He went back to his room, and I went to change and and grab my headphones. I just wanted to laze around – by which I mean to have the time of my life – since the next day was a Saturday.

I went back to the sofa, and this time, I laid down on it, and looked at the roof, while a slow romantic Hindi song played in my ears. I eventually fell asleep.

0~0~0

"...ake up..."

"... Wake up..." I heard the faint sound of an unfamiliar voice in my sleep, and I began gaining consciousness. "Wake up!" I sat up and rubbed my eyes to see a caramel-haired teen boy standing beside the sofa I was sitting on. _Damn, it's Fuuto!_

His brown eyes gazed up and down on me, and he asked, "Who are you, sleeping like this on my sofa? Someone's girl?"

Wait. "Um, hi, I'm Sabrina, supposedly your new elder sister." I just woke up to a celebrity, co-incidentally sleeping on 'his' sofa and I was supposed to introduce myself to him as his new sister. To add to that, I was still waking up.

"Oh, so you're the girl she mentioned." He said, sitting on the sofa beside me, examining my face closely. Our faces were just a few inches apart. _Gosh, and you're still in a daze, your eyelids half-open, looking like a dumb slowpoke._

"You're not bad, huh," He drew a conclusion, and I waited there thinking if I should say 'Thanks' or not, when he continued, "But you don't seem so smart. You're an idiot, aren't you?"

I was wide awake now. Who the hell was he to judge me from my sleepy face? I retorted, "And you're a jerk, aren't you?"

"Huh! Who do you think you are speaking to?" He stood up, and I did, too. _That escalated quickly._

"I know, I know who you are, but you hold no right to judge me. Man, I just woke up!" I protested.

"You definitely are an idiot." He said, looking angrily at me, but then smirked and placed his hands behind his head.

"Look who's talking – the bratty jerk." I said, trying to act smart.

"You-" He was again angered, but walked up to me and gripped my hand, "I'll make sure you have a lovely time with me."

"Oh, I look forward to it, then." I said looking directly into his eyes, and smirked. He was caught off guard for a second, but regained his bratty attitude and said, "You are different. It'll be fun to play with you."

I kept looking into his eyes, when he finally left my hand, turned, and walked off. "Till then, goodbye, idiot."

"Hmph! Goodbye, jerk." I said and sat back. _What does he think of himself! The red boy was so right!_

"I agree with you for the first time. FYI, the red boy is Yuusuke. When are you gonna learn his name?" I silently muttered. _Well..._

But deep down, I knew that I had to be on good terms with him, so I made a mental note to make up with him later. I thought of something to do, and ended up deciding to do some homework.

O~O~O

I came to the kitchen and saw Ukyo already there. I grabbed my apron from the hook on the wall adjacent to the refrigerator and said, "Welcome home Ukyo-san! You're home early?"

He looked at me blankly for a second; presumably he was astonished, I didn't know why. I waved a hand in front of him to bring him back to earth, "Did I say something wrong?"

He snapped back to reality and said, "Oh, no, I just heard 'welcome home' after a long time. Thanks." He smiled, and I smiled back, but inwardly, it saddened me to see that no one ever greeted him after he came back from his work. He was their care-taker, yet, no one thanked him for his efforts. I wanted to do something to thank him, but couldn't think of anything at the moment.

Releasing a little sigh, I joined him for work.

O~O~O

For the rest of the dinner, I kept thinking of something special to do for him. I came up with no good idea and I was so frustrated that I couldn't get myself to sleep. Or maybe because I slept in the afternoon. _Whatever!_

It was half past midnight already. Finally coming to a conclusion that I won't be able to sleep, I exited my room and went to the third floor, hoping Yuusuke would be awake, though, I wasn't sure on that.

"One, two, three, four... here's his room." I counted in my brain and knocked on his door twice. It opened instantly, and judging by his face, it didn't look like he was sleeping either.

"Hey, free for some coffee?" I asked, and he agreed. We went to the fifth floor, and just as we were about to descend down the stairs, I heard someone's voices. I stopped him and signaled him to listen. We stood behind the nearest wall and eavesdropped.

"There is something that I must tell you." A voice spoke.

"Yes?" Another one said.

"They are Tsubaki and Azusa!" Yuusuke whispered.

"Haven't we been living together for a while?" The voice I recognized to be Tsubaki's, asked.

"That's right. For years, if I have to say." Azusa said.

"But lately, when I'm with you, I feel different." Tsubaki admitted, and we raised our brows. We took a glimpse, and observed that they were sitting together.

"My heart starts racing, and I can't calm down. I also get irritated when I see you get along with other people." Tsubaki continued, and Azusa said, "Huh?" Yuusuke and I too, went like, "Huh?" and looked at each other, our eyes slowly widening.

"I... I am in love with you." Tsubaki admitted, and Yuusuke and I were almost about to faint. With our eyes as wide as saucers and our mouths hung open, we looked at the twins as they looked at each other.

"What the heck! Is he crazy?" Yuusuke exclaimed suddenly, and I slapped a hand over his mouth, trying to shush him. They must've heard us, because Tsubaki called, "Who is there?" Then we heard footsteps coming upstairs, so we revealed ourselves, and I, pretending to be nonchalant, said, "Hi." Yuusuke stared at them, open-mouthed, colored in shock.

"Oh hey! What are you two doing at this time of the night?" Tsubaki asked.

"Just not able to sleep, right Yuusuke?" I motioned for him to nod and get out of his staring-mode. He nodded, and said, "Was it bloody true?"

"What?" Azusa asked. Both of them were perplexed. _Arrey, say it!_

I took a deep breath and spilled out, "Sorry... we kinda... overheard your littleconversation _by mistake_." Both of them looked at each other and a look of realization washed over their faces. Before anyone could say anything, I said, "But we support you! Yeah! I fully support you and, um, you get it, okay?"

"Yes, the feelings are true. I finally let them out. I love Azusa." Tsubaki said, enveloped his arms around his twin and kissed his cheek. Yuusuke basically freaked out.

"Oh! Yeah..." I put my arms behind my back, and put on a big, fake smile that could be easily classified as fake. "Yeah, yeah, you guys can continue. We were just... loitering around. Sorry to disturb ya!" I brisk walked to the elevator, arms still behind my back, posture of a robot. I suddenly heard laughter from behind. I turned and saw that it was Tsubaki laughing.

"What?" I asked. Tsubaki stopped laughing, and Azusa explained, "We were just rehearsing our scripts."

 _Scripts? Scripts! Yeah, voice actors!_ I remembered, face-palmed, and muttered, "Damn..."

I walked up to them and apologized,"I'm sorry, I just forgot that you guys were voice actors. And Yuusuke, too, didn't remind me." Yuusuke was furious, and stomped away to the elevator, saying, "You sick freaks!"

"But your reactions were the best – especially Yuusuke! That look on his face was incredible!" Tsubaki said, and we giggled; I laughed at myself for being so gullible, and for forgetting those petty details.

"But yes, sorry for interrupting your rehearsal, I shall be going now." I said and turned to go, but Tsubaki held me by my shoulders and said, "No need to go. I'd love to practice with a female voice. Like to join us?" I was about to agree, since I had nothing else to do, but Azusa interrupted," Let her go, Tsubaki, it's already too much for the night."

"But I'm tired of the practices!" Tsubaki whined like a child, "We've already rehearsed ten times! I'm done!"

"Alright then. Let's go back to sleep." Azusa suggested, and Tsubaki and I said in unison, "Nah, don't wanna sleep now. Jinx!"

"Let's have a drink then." I suggested, and Azusa said, "Not a bad idea."

We grabbed cans of cola from the fridge and went to the balcony, leaned on the railing, and sipped our beverages. "Can I share something with you guys?" I said, out of the blues.

"Yes?" They said.

"I just want to do something for Ukyo-san to thank him for all he has done for us. A day to make him feel special. For that, I'll need your help." I confessed, and it looked like some realization struck Azusa.

"Oh wait, tomorrow's Ukyo's birthday!" Azusa remembered, and Tsubaki exclaimed, "How could I forget that?" My eyes brightened up – that was just the opportunity I needed.

"I bet no one remembers his birthday." Azusa stated, and I clapped my hands, "We'll make his birthday unforgettable this time!" They looked at me, and I explained them tomorrow's schedule, and asked them to give me all the brothers' numbers.

"And here's Natsume's number..." Tsubaki started to dictate, but I said, "I already have his number."

"Huh? How?" Azusa asked.

"He gave me his business card last time he visited." I replied, and a mischievous smile appeared on Tsubaki's face. "So Natsume has already started making moves on our little sister?"

"What? No!" I denied, and Azusa silenced Tsubaki, "Shut up, Tsubaki. You're making her uncomfortable."

Tsubaki patted my head, and said, "Sorry about that, but yes, nice plan for tomorrow."

"I'm already excited." I said while smiling. I already wanted the night to end as soon as it could. And then I remembered another important thing, something that was so important just a few months before, but forgotten now...

"Can we take a selfie? I need to update my SnapChat story. Please?" I asked, making puppy eyes, tapping on the little yellow icon on my screen. They laughed, and thus, we ended up clicking our pictures for the next fifteen minutes.

* * *

 **Hmm, that was it. Not really impressed by how it came, but I guess it was satisfactory at least. Yes, I forgot SnapChat. I mean, that's typical Sabrina for you.**

 **My sister is still on the beginning of fourth episode, and she has her opinion ready. She hates KANAME (me too!), SUBARU, AZUSA, WATARU, YUUSUKE, AND FUUTO. And her fav is HIKARU, of all people, because of his hair. And I was like, "what the hell?" But no doubts that guy is legit savage!**

 **I haven't forgotten to put Hikaru in the story (since my sis is always asking if I have put Hikaru in my story or not), he'll be appearing in the next or the next-to-next chapter.**

 **Next update is going to take some time, since I have a busy weekend, and I have to write the chapter in two hours, in which my mom or sister interrupts every five minutes for some stupid shit, so you have an idea of how things are going on here...**

 **Please tell me if you are getting notifications on Gmail from about the story updates, because I tried to follow my own story but didn't allow that. So please, end my misery by giving an answer at least.**

 **Please keep reading and review/follow/fav if you are kind enough to do so.**

 **At your service,  
Diamond Shyn **


	13. Chapter 13: Happy Birthday Ukyo!

**Red Diamond**

 **Chapter 13 is ready! Thank you for waiting!**

 **Melanie Martinez is amazing! I completely fell in love with the music she makes! I highly, HIGHLY recommend her songs. My favs are Tag, you're it, Training Wheels, and Soap. And yes, Dollhouse too.**

 **I guess I've gotta hurry up with the story here, because we've already crossed the number of episodes the whole anime had, and we still don't have our brothers' falling for Sabrina.**

 **This chapter can be a little short, since I only want Ukyo's birthday in it (his birthday is really on Dec 3), plus a hint of jealousy. Also, I don't have the energy to write a long chapter. (Like, coming up with perfect dialogues for them is already tiring – I don't know how to flirt, so how can I make Kaname or Tsubaki flirt with her?)**

 **Thank you for the follows and favs! They made my day!**

 **Disclaimer: Nah, I do not own Brothers Conflict, but my OCs.**

* * *

Chapter 13: Happy Birthday Ukyo!

Narrator's POV

As usual, Ukyo was woke up before his alarm clock went buzzing. After getting ready, he got in the lift to go to the fifth floor, specifically the kitchen. Also, he impatiently waited for Sabrina, contrary to his nature. He realized that he had begun relying on Sabrina for help in his daily routine. Ever since she had stepped into the Sunrise Residence, she had solidified her place in his heart, and most probably, in others' too.

The lift came to a halt, and he exited the little compartment as soon as the metal gates opened. He descended the stairs, and to his surprise, all of the people in the house (Hikaru, Fuuto, and Natsume excluded) were already sitting by the dining table, with large plates of delicious food neatly placed on the table.

"And here comes the birthday boy." Masaomi said as soon as he noticed Ukyo.

"Happy Birthday!" All of them said together, and he fixed his glasses. He certainly didn't expect that. Sabrina came forward and led him to an empty seat. "I'm surprised that you are awake now. You all remembered?" He asked in a disbelieving manner.

"All thanks to imouto-chan, she is the one behind all of this." Kaname said, and Ukyo looked at Sabrina, "I see. Thanks a lot."

"Most welcome. I hope you like the food – all of us made it."

"All of you?" Ukyo looked skeptically at his brothers.

"I helped onee-chan!" Wataru said, throwing his hands up, trying to make everyone acknowledge his efforts.

"Oh, yes, we did, and it was really tiring." Tsubaki said, massaging his fingers. Azusa snickered and said, "And this is coming from someone who only fooled around all the time."

"Did I?" Tsubaki asked, faking an innocent voice, making puppy eyes.

"No, you helped break couple of plates too." Yuusuke added, and the whole room erupted into laughter. After a delicious breakfast, when Ukyo was ready to leave for work, they stopped him and handed out a ticket to him.

"What's this?" He asked, reading the little glossy piece of paper.

"It's a ticket to spa. You can forget today's work and go relax." Masaomi said.

"But I need to go to work." Ukyo protested.

"Chill! Just take a day off!" Subaru said.

"Yeah, just a day! Please!" Sabrina pleaded, and in the end, everyone convinced him to take a day off. Ukyo excused himself to wear something casual. Just as the elevator's doors closed, everyone fell on a sofa or chair, yawning, except Subaru and Iori, since they were used to waking up at early hours, and surprisingly Sabrina, because she wasn't sleepy at all.

She began clearing up the dining table, remembering last night's conversation with Kaname, and giggling.

 ****Flashback****

She dialed Kaname's number, and waited as the call forwarded to conditional, and heard a couple of rings before Kaname picked up her phone.

"Hello, Kaname-san?" She said.

"Hello~ May I know who's the beautiful lady I'm talking to?" He said seductively. With a 'WTF' face, she looked at the phone, wondering what on earth was going through Kaname's mind, trying to seduce his sister, when she remembered that he didn't have her number. So, she decided to carry on the game. She coughed and in a sugary-sweet voice, she replied, "It's me, the girl whom you met last week."

He remained silent for a minute, then said, "You must be Aiko-chan. How're you doing?"

"Just missing you and your handsome smile." She faked the girly voice, and giggled inwardly at how Kaname was taking the bait.

"Oh, do you miss me that badly? Hn, seems like we have to meet real soon."

She let out a fake gasp, "Really? That's so nice of you, Kaname-kun!"

"We can go out for a romantic candle-light dinner tomorrow night, just the way you like it, and then I can sing you your favorite song by your bedside-"

"Whoa whoa whoa, stop! It's Sabrina! No need to say more." She said, embarrassed at his words. _How can someone flirt so much!_

"Hah?" The other end remained silent, and Sabrina started laughing, so Kaname chuckled and said, "You got me, imouto-chan. Have you been taking voice-acting classes by Tsubaki and Azusa?"

"Nah, it's natural." She faked boasting.

"And how did you get my number?"

"I asked Tsubaki-san and Azusa-san. I need you to wake up tomorrow at 5 in the morning. Hopefully, you remember that it's Ukyo-san's birthday."

"...Oh yes!"... And she told him to wake up the rest on the the floor.

 **** Flashback End****

"What are you giggling about?" Yuusuke lazily asked.

"Nothing at all." She cleared her throat and said, "You guys can go to sleep for some time, I'll wake you up after a few hours." The boys' eyes brightened, and they rushed to their rooms. Iori went to the library to do some research, while Subaru volunteered to help her.

"You can bring some groceries, since I don't know where the store is." She asked Subaru. "Rather, take me with you so that I can memorize the ways."

"Sure."

They went to the supermarket, and Sabrina noticed that even at around eight in the morning, the markets were flooded with people. "That's the story." Subaru pointed to the grocery store with pink walls, and they pushed open their doors which read 'Welcome'. She gave him half the list and they parted to fasten up the process.

Sabrina had already chosen her ingredients, and went to search for Subaru, and spotted him trying to choose between a blue and a yellow packet of flour. So, she decided to surprise him, and tip-toed behind him. "Boo!" She said as he turned with the yellow one. He let out an "Aaa!" the packet of flour slipped from his hands and its contents fell on both of them.

"Damn!" Both of them said in unison, and she started laughing uncontrollably. He too, seeing her laugh, started laughing. A few people gathered around the aisle to see them both completely white, and the duo walked off, grabbing another packet of flour.

They reached the cashier's counter and placed their groceries on the little grey counter, and began hysterically dusting themselves while still laughing. The cashier, while putting their purchased items in a bag, stared incongruously at them (and so did the others around them), and sternly said, "You will have to pay for that." They nodded, trying to gulp down their laughing fits.

They exited the store, and Subaru said, "Now I have to take a bath again."

"How troublesome." Sabrina sardonically commented, and the black-haired one grinned.

When they entered the building, they encountered Kaname dressed in his monk attire. He examined them up and down and teased, "What have you two been doing, huh?"

Subaru blushed red, "Keep those thoughts to yourself, Kana-nii!"

"Are you going to work today, Kaname-san?" She asked him.

"Yes, we have no holidays." Kaname replied with a fake frown.

"Hmm, I see. Your work must be pretty hard, no?" She sarcastically said.

"Ah, yes, it really is, dealing with so many beautiful ladies has my head spinning." He replied, and they giggled.

"Return home early, then."

O~O~O

After taking a long, hot bath, Sabrina came down to the kitchen to prepare the cake. She texted Natsume that he had to be home by six in the evening, and reluctantly, Fuuto too, inviting him to his own home, since she wanted to apologize to him about their little 'meeting'.

"Can we help?" Tsubaki and Azusa appeared from the lift, and approached her.

"No, thanks for asking. You're awake already?" She asked. Azusa sighed and replied, "Yes. Tsubaki woke me up because he _apparently_ wanted to play some video game _._ We've been doing that for an hour now."

"But I wanted to play with Azusa, and I knew he wouldn't refuse." Tsubaki said in a puerile manner. Azusa blankly stared at him for a moment, before asking Sabrina, "Do you need any help?"

"No, it's okay."

"But we want to help." Tsubaki insisted, so she tapped her finger on her chin for a moment, thinking of how they could help, and finally said, "You can help wash and cut the fruits."

"Sure." They all started working – Sabrina whipped up the cream, Tsubaki washed the fruits and Azusa cut them. They mixed the ingredients, with Tsubaki and Sabrina tasting the batter every once in a while. Once the cake was set, and inside the oven, she and the white-haired man grabbed the mixing spoon, covered with the batter, in a flash.

"Was the process this short?" Tsubaki said, frowning, "It was really fun!"

"C'mon Tsubaki," Azusa stated, "It has been two hours since we began."

"Time flies by when we are with people whom we enjoy." Sabrina said, and the other two agreed.

 _PREACH!_

She began clearing up the kitchen counter, but a mischievous thought flashed by her, so she smeared some flour on Tsubaki's face.

"Hah!" He touched the flour on his face while Sabrina and Azusa began laughing. His lips curved into a sly grin when he said, "You'll be punished!"

"No! I just bathed for the second time today!" She said as Tsubaki approached her with a handful of flour. "I hate flour now!"

And the show began.

Tsubaki began chasing her around the living room just the way Tom chases Jerry, and when Sabrina was right in front of him, he threw flour, but Sabrina ducked and the entire powder ended up on Azusa's face. His hair, face, and glasses were totally white, including his collar. Azusa didn't move. Tsubaki and Sabrina paused in terror, and a second later, began laughing, but their laughter died when Azusa grabbed the whole packet of flour left and went after them. Eventually, the three of them ended white as ghost, garnished with whipped cream. Oh, and may Azusa's spectacles rest in peace.

Masaomi and Wataru came to the fifth floor, and they control their laughter at seeing the trio. "What happened here?" Masaomi asked.

"Don't even ask." Sabrina said.

"I don't know how I ended up in this ruckus." Azusa stated, genuinely wondering how he ended up being one of the lunatics.

"Sabrina is the best!" Tsubaki declared, embracing the brunette from the side.

"Yes, our house has been more fun than before!" Wataru vigorously said and ran to hug Sabrina. When they pulled off, Wataru's arms too, had flour on them.

"Looks like I'm gonna get flour on everyone today!"

O~O~O

"Please, let me do your hair, Sabrina-chan." Louis asked, gently grazing a lock of the brunette's hair.

"Only if you don't mind." She agreed.

"I would love to style your hair." Louis clapped his hands and they went into the middle of now-cleaned living room. She sat in the middle of both the coffee tables while Louis stood behind her, and placed a large mirror in front of her.

She felt relaxed with him. Louis' personality was like water – always flowing freely. He was a calm person, and she was the most comfortable with him. His aura screamed peace (irony intended), and his words always had a deep meaning to them. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and let the moment sink in. After all she had been doing since the morning; she needed some break time like this.

"We are almost done." Louis said, and she opened her eyes to see her hair completely transformed from hopelessly tangled to elegantly styled. Her hair were straightened from above, but her natural waves at the end were left untouched. A lock of hair in the front was curled and turned, and tucked to the other side.

"Whoa, this is amazing! You truly are an incredible hairstylist!" She exclaimed.

"Time for some final touches." He said and looked around for another machine, but found none. "Looks like I left it in my room. I'll go and bring it now." He said and took the stairs to go to the elevator.

"No you don't need to, this is more than enough." She protested, but he had already boarded the elevator by that time.

"Louis nii-san!" A very familiar voice called for Louis. He looked down from the railing at Sabrina. "Oh, it's just you." He said and sighed.

"Hey, you really came!" Sabrina said and grinned.

"Have you seen Louis nii-san?" He asked, and she replied, "He just went to his room to fetch some machine."

"Dammit!" He cursed and looked around, pissed off. Sabrina removed the extra towel wrapping her and went upstairs.

"What is it?" He asked, with his back facing her.

"Jerk- I mean, Fuuto-kun," She cleared her throat, "Look, I know I shouldn't have called you a jerk," Then she whispered to herself, "Even though you really deserve the name." And then again said to Fuuto, "And I'm sorry for that. I hope we hold no grudges in the future." She smiled, and he faced her with a smirk plastered on his face.

"So you finally melted down for me? Fell for my looks? And I thought you were different."

"Look, little guy, you're my younger brother, and unfortunately maybe – for you or for me, I need to stay on good terms with you. So, here was the apology, take it or leave it." She turned to go, but he grabbed her wrist.

"Is it your hairstyle that you've changed today? You look pretty." He said, and she irresolutely replied, "Umm, thanks?"

"Can we, uh..." He looked straight in her eyes, his face getting closer to hers, "Forget that we are siblings for some time?"

"Wait, what?" She blinked twice, and he burst out laughing. "What the-"

"You think changing your hairstyle will make you any cuter? You're naïve!" He said and laughed hard, while she sighed and went back to the chair, desperately trying to hide her fuming face. Fuuto's phone rang, and his laughter ceased. "Yes... No, I don't need that guy, my brother is way better than him... Yeah." He looked around again with that pissed of expression, "Tell Louis nii-san to meet me."

"Yeah."

He tucked his arms behind his head, turned, and walked away, saying, "Goodbye, pretty princess."

"Too hell with your goodbye!" She shot, and folded her arms, face completely red. _That guy isn't made to be trusted._

O~O~O

 _So, the twins and Wataru are sent with Ukyo-san for a movie, the house is clean, the cake is baked, and it tastes just about fine... and yes, the card!_ She remembered the special card that she had made, and rushed into Ukyo's room with card in one hand, and a bouquet of violets in the other.

She opened the room and observed that his room was neat as ever, with everything kept in place. But on second thoughts, that was expected from him. She kept the card under the bouquet and exited the room, silently closing the room's door to not cause enough noise.

"My my, what were you doing in there?" An unfamiliar womanly voice caused her to turn and face a beautiful, tall lady with auburn colored hair, wearing a red short dress with a black leather jacket.

"And who may you be?" She asked. The lady smiled and came forward to embrace her, and said, "Nice to meet you, lil' sis."

"Lil's sis? Wait, are you..." She was left speechless.

"That's Hikaru, the fourth son." Masaomi appeared from somewhere behind and introduced her to him. "He is a cross dressing novelist."

"Oh, I see." Sabrina said, relieved to an extent to hear that he was a 'cross-dresser'.

"And why are you here today?" Masaomi asked Hikaru, and he replied in a woman's voice, "Oh, I remember that it is Ukyo's birthday today, unlike some people." He indirectly pointed fingers at the rest of the brothers.

"Now, let's not get into this conversation." Masaomi said, brushing the topic off, "It's about time. They're going to reach."

"Perfect." Sabrina said, and the three boarded the lift. Once they reached the floor, she entered the washroom to check her dress – a red one-piece with a black belt and black boots. She only hoped that she didn't go overboard with dressing, though, she disliked to dress up, unlike other girls.

She went into the kitchen to give the cake final touches, and encountered Kaname. "My imouto-chan looks stunning today. " He leaned in and kissed the back of her hand. "Thanks for the compliment, Kaname-san." She replied.

"Did you change your hairstyle today?" Iori asked.

"Oh, yes, since it was Ukyo-san's birthday, Louis-san insisted to change it. I hope I look fine."

"Yes, you look really beautiful. I would love to see you like this often." He replied.

"Sabrina-chan did justice to my efforts." Louis said and smiled.

"You can look good if you try." Fuuto commented, and she replied with a flat "Thanks a lot for that." Subaru entered, and the moment he saw Sabrina, he blushed red, and turned his back.

"What happened? Are you okay?" She asked him.

"Y-yeah... I'm just..." He said and walked off. While Sabrina wondered what happened to him, Kaname gripped her shoulders from behind and said, "Don't worry, imouto-chan. He's just ill."

"Ill?" She asked, now genuinely concerned.

"It's the same illness I'm suffering from; the illness no doctor can cure. I would happily suffer the consequences-" Kaname said, but Yuusuke interrupted, "Cut it off, Kana-nii! You're bothering her."

To avoid the situation, Sabrina brought out the cake from the freezer. It was a fruit cake, and just then, Natsume entered.

"Were you invited as well?" Hikaru asked in a joking manner.

"Of course, she did." Natsume said disinterestedly, looking at Sabrina.

"Hmm, you really have a lot of courage to deal with all of the brothers together." Hikaru complimented. Right at that moment, Ukyo, Wataru, and the twins entered. Wataru rushed towards the kitchen counter to see the cake. "Wow! It's looks yummy!" He exclaimed.

"I can't eat it!" Yuusuke declared, and everyone looked at him, "Did I say something wrong?"

And it was time for Tsubaki to begin flirting. "Why wouldn't you? Rather, I can alone have this piece of magic made by this angel. After all, it has her affection in it."

"Thank you so much for that." Sabrina thanked, and Yuusuke's mouth was left open.

"I would love to be fed from you." Tsubaki said, and came near Sabrina, while she stepped back. "Or would you like to be the one fed first?" He picked up a slice of strawberry from a bowl, "Now say 'Ah'!"

Azusa intervened and grabbed Tsubaki's arm, and shrieked, "Cut it off, Tsubaki!"

"As you say, sir!" Tsubaki saluted. In the background, Natsume face palmed and muttered, "When is he ever going to change?"

"You're all here? This is a surprise for sure." Ukyo admitted.

"All thanks to Sabrina." Masaomi acknowledged her, and she smiled.

"The Asahina brothers are together again!" Wataru exclaimed.

Ukyo cut the cake, and they were all served a piece of cake, with Yuusuke being reluctant to even taste it. "It looks too good to eat!" He complained. Tsubaki volunteered to have his share, but he reluctantly ate, and exclaimed, "It's good!" That made the rest laugh. Sabrina took the duty to click photographs, and successfully snapped Yuusuke's struggle to save his share from hungry Tsubaki. _That needs to be framed!_

After the dinner was finished, everyone departed to their rooms to mind their own business. Hikaru chatted with Ukyo – basically teased him about something she didn't know. Before leaving, Natsume came to Sabrina to give her a sample of their game, and as she had asked for, it was a hard version.

"Dare me, and I'll complete it in just two days." She challenged, and Natsume accepted.

"If I lose, you'll have a treat from my side." Natsume added the fuel to the fire, and they shook hands to make it 'official'.

 **Bonus Scene**

Ukyo stepped into his room, and closed the wooden door behind him. The day had been refreshing for him, and it felt good to take a break. Sabrina was a nice girl; he had made a point, and was looking forward to spend more time with her. It was really thoughtful of her to do so, and she was one of those who could understand him and acknowledge his efforts. She was easily adapting to the atmosphere of the Asahina household, and her personality was that of a fun-loving but intelligent girl.

He stretched his rams, and his sight landed on purple flowers. He went to pick them up, and they revealed a handmade card from under them. He opened it and read –

" _Dear Ukyo-san,_

 _Happy Birthday! I hope this year brings peace and happiness for you, accompanied with prosperity and loads of love. Thanks for always bring there for us; we wouldn't be able to do anything without you. You hold a very special place in our hearts. We hope you enjoyed the day._

 _Love,  
Your family" _

By the sole sense of it, he understood that it was made by none other than Sabrina.

He was so wrong; maybe she was the _only_ one who understood him...

* * *

 **No, this was NOT a short chapter.**

 **Talking about birthdays, Happy 31** **st** **Birthday Kaname! (May 28) and Happy 14** **th** **Birthday to me! (May 29).**

 **Next chapter will be up soon. Please don't forget to review and fav and follow if you like!**

 **At your service,  
Diamond Shyn**


	14. Chapter 14: Dance - Part 1

**Red Diamond**

 **Thank you all for your wishes (and reviews, and a fav)! They made my day!**

 **After a looong chapter, let's have a short, cute chapter, since I have my math and science exam in my tuition tomorrow. Let's laze around...**

 **Disclaimer: Not the owner of Brothers Conflict, but my OCs.**

* * *

Chapter 14: Dance – Part 1

Sabrina's POV

I was in a pretty bad mood the next day, because I couldn't click a photo of my first 'eatable' cake, which, fortunately, I hadn't burned. I was also feeling lazy, since it was a Sunday, and I surprisingly had nothing to do – no homework, no extra study sessions (thankfully; I wasn't in the mood to deal with David's cheesy pickup lines), and no pastime I could think of. I just threw myself on my bed, flat on face, and lay like that for a few minutes. How I wanted the time to pass so I could do something productive, which I rarely did.

I finally pulled out my face to breath, and my sight landed on the game that Natsume gave me the day before. _Thank God for that blessing! What would you do without it?_

I grabbed a packet of chips and sat in front of the TV with the console in my hands. The sound of little blasts from the virtual world surrounded me, along with the sound of me chewing the crisps. Inwardly, I wanted the time to pass as soon as it could.

"Welcome to Zombie Hazard. Are you ready to face your death?" The voice from the game dared, and I retorted with full force, "Yeah, boy! Bring it on! Face your death, you little green algae!"

Two hours passed in a jiffy, and I had completed the game. "Whew, that wasn't difficult at all!" I said, and finished the packet of chips. My mouth was all salty due to their taste, and a minute later, I was again in those depths of not knowing what to do.

That's when my feet started moving to my imaginary beats and I knew I had to dance. _Perfect!_

I took my music system with me to the living room, since I didn't have enough space in my room to dance, and luckily found no one around. I played a track on my system and started dancing to the rhythm. Minutes passed.

"Is that what you call dancing?" A voice, which I very well knew, spoke.

I turned to see our 'Great Idol, Girls' Heartthrob, Fuuto Asakura'. "Again?" I asked, raising a brow.

"That isn't how you dance." He said, walking towards me. While the track played in the background, I said, "And what do you know?" I was honestly tired of this brat who thought of himself to be the highest. I was willing to challenge him, and see the look on his face when I defeat him.

He smirked, and replied, "All what you don't." Yeah, I was freaking angered by that time.

"Show me what you can do, then" I challenged, and folded my arms. He showed his signature step, and to give him a reply, I did a cartwheel to stand up to him, our faces close.

"The game's on." I whispered to him, and turned. He removed his long, purple overcoat, and challenged me, "Let's see how far you can go, nee-san." He said, and did a back flip. _Since when did he start calling you nee-san?_

"Mhm..." I said and did a wave with my whole body. As the song changed to a medium-paced romantic one, he came closer and held my waist, and I gripped his shoulders. All what followed was the synchronized movement of our feet and arms, as we twirled in the mode of salsa; I rested my leg on his thigh and he moved back, my other foot drawing behind, and I turned, as his hands remained on my waist. He turned me back to face him, and we both breathed heavily. His face held an unreadable expression, maybe to add to the feeling of the dance.

"You're not that bad." He commented.

"You too." I replied. His other hand crept up to my cheek, and suddenly, an angry voice yelled from somewhere, "What the hell do you think you are doing?" I immediately withdrew, startled by the sudden attack. We saw that it was Yuusuke.

Fuuto again had his famous smirk on his face, and he mocked, "Jealous?"

Yuusuke was fuming. "Why the hell are you here?"

The idol calmly replied, "I was going to return to work tomorrow, so I wanted to have my nee-san's cooking."

"That's not how you freaking eat!" Yuusuke said as he grabbed Fuuto's collar, now the idol's expression too, darkened. I stepped in between to calm them down. "It's okay, guys. It was my idea to dance, Yuusuke." I said as I separated them.

"B-but-!" Yuusuke could say no more, as Fuuto said, "Nee-san, wouldn't you make me something to eat?" He said and grabbed my wrist to take me to the kitchen. Poor Yuusuke was left looking in the air as we strode past him.

O~O~O

The day passed. It was a Monday again. I didn't know how to feel – to be happy that I had something productive to do, or be pissed off that I had to deal with another tiring week. I and Yuusuke were on our way to school when I took out my IPod to plug in my earplugs. Yuusuke looked at me horrified.

"What?" I asked.

"Sabrina, that's an IPod."

"You don't say!" I sarcastically said, and dramatically gasped, placing a hand on my chest, "Want to listen to something?" I offered him a plug, chuckling at my own attempt to be funny.

"But you know you aren't supposed to bring your IPod to school, Sabrina. The teacher won't return this." Yuusuke panicked, but I cut him off, "Chill, dude. Nicki Minaj isn't gonna rap me the chemistry formulas."

He thought for some moments and said, "That's right, kinda..."

"I'm not going to listen to music in between the classes. I just need to make a dance troupe, and that's the reason I brought it. For a track?" I said, and he simply asked, "Were you serious on that?"

"Yup."

"Good luck, then," I had no idea why he said that, but I soon knew why.

* * *

 **That's how it is. Sorry if it was stupid, but I wanted to update the story howsoever.**

 **It has two divisions – Part 1 and 2. However, the next chapter will be called chapter fifteen.**

 **Review, and fav and follow if you like!**

 **At your service,  
Diamond Shyn **


	15. Chapter 15: Dance - Part 2

**Red Diamon d**

 **It's me again!**

 **Okay, so I officially declare that I don't know what I will be writing in this chapter, and I just hope that you like it.**

 **Also, we are getting to see a lot of Yuusuke in the story (and will get to see more) since Sabrina is the closest to him, and it is fun and easy to write about him.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Brothers Conflict, but my OCs. Wait, when did my disclaimers become so simple?**

* * *

Chapter 15: Dance – Part 2

Sabrina's POV

Yuusuke and Mahoko were so bloody right about making a dance troupe - I realized very soon.

Getting the teachers convinced for the dance practices and events was a _huge_ task in itself. None of the teachers were interested in giving us time for the dance rehearsals, since the school held no ranks in dance competitions in their history. Plus, the big question was – where is the dance troupe?

I came up with this suggestion of auditioning all the interested students, and after a lot of pleading and begging, they finally allotted me one hour for the auditions in the auditorium, with a challenge, "You get only one hour to gather them all. If you aren't able to, then don't ask me for another hour." _Challenge accepted._

I was literally overjoyed for the chance, and when I told Yuusuke and Mahoko about the news of the allowance of an hour, they too, were astonished.

"They allowed you because you are the new student. Impression matters, no?" Mahoko said, and I just smirked. I made a notice and stuck it on all the notice boards in the school building.

Wait, the problems didn't end there.

I couldn't believe what happened in that hour. First of all, the members of the almost non-existent dance troupe did not come for any auditions, since they were hoping to get elected into the student council and wasted all their precious time on making their group of supporters, who would blindly follow them throughout the session. I could luckily convince a couple of girls and a guy from the troupe by making them understand that people like Sasakura still existed.

So now, we four were sitting behind a table, waiting for the crowd to line up and not act like untamed zoo animals.

Secondly, I could not comprehend if they were dancing or waving their hands to shoo away the flies. I knew I shouldn't be a judgmental piece of crap, but with no time on our hands and lack of talent, I couldn't help but become a clone of Simon Cowell. I looked beside me – a guy, Himura something, was holding his head in his hands, the girl, Sakura, was looking at me, sighing, and beside her Ayame, who was busy fixing her hair and yawning.

"Okay, okay, next please." I said, pausing the track. The guy in front of me blew a kiss to Ayame, who showed him her middle finger. I tried to suppress my laughter.

Next came a short heighted girl with glasses and braces, and shyly made her way to the center stage. "C-can I-I start?" she stuttered, and I nodded. The music turned up, and she instantly grew emotionless. Her moves weren't that bad, but her expressions were too hard for a soft song. Judging by her face, I imagined her going insane the next second and coming down to tear our faces apart.

The song ended, and she regained her composure of a shy girl. "Nice, but I guess you can try harder on the expressions." Sakura said, and all of us nodded. She suddenly broke into tears, staining her spectacles, and I went up to her. "You don't like my performance, right?" She said between sobs.

"No, not at all. " I tried to console her. The others gathered around me.

"I'm going to tell mum!" She said and ran away from us, and we were left standing with 'WTF' faces.

To sum it up, the auditions were a disaster. Well, not at all, since we got four more people to join us – a girl and three boys, just the way we wanted.

O~O~O

While I was walking down the hallway of the school to my class, I saw Yuusuke at a distance. Before I could approach him, my gaze fell on a group of girls gossiping. No, not because they were gossiping, but they attracted my attention because I heard mentions of Yuusuke quite a lot of times. I went to join them. "Hey," I said, "Mind if I join you?"

"No, you're welcome." Supposedly the sweetest of them said, and the other two gave her 'the' look.

"Thanks. Um, can you tell me why is the buzz about Yuusuke..." I said, giving them the hint that I knew something, while in reality, I didn't. I only wished that there wasn't any girlfriend of his, because if there was, it would hurt to know that he kept it a secret from me.

They hesitated for a moment, but another one said, "Yes, uh, last Friday, Yuusuke beat up this guy," She pointed to the one standing near us with a blue circle around his eye, and his wrist covered in bandages. I recognized him as Yuusuke's friend.

She continued, "Probably because this guy teased him or what? I don't know. I couldn't make out what this guy said, but Yuusuke suddenly yelled at him, and there they went."

"Hmm..." I said, trying to figure out why he did so. "Thanks for your time, girls. Got to go now." I smiled and said, and went for Yuusuke, but he wasn't there anymore. That was possbly the reason for those wounds he got on Friday. _What could the guy have said that made him so angry?_

"Dunno." I whispered, as I looked for him.

O~O~O

On the way back, I kept quiet. He must've observed my unusual behavior, so he asked, "What's the matter?"

"Uh, how did you get those wounds?" I asked, folding my arms.

"Which wounds?"

"The one you got on Friday."

He hesitated, and said, "That, uh, didn't I tell you? I slipped-"

"No need to lie! I got to know that you beat someone up. Mind to explain the story to me?"

Yuusuke kept quiet for a minute, and then spilled out, "He insulted me."

"Oh, then its fine." I said, and smiled. We had already reached home, so we took the elevator for our respective floors.

Narrator's POV

Yuusuke got out of the elevator, leaving Sabrina in alone. "Bye." She said as the lift's doors closed. Once she was no longer in sight, Yuusuke breathed out an air of relief. Inwardly, he was still angry at Takeshi for what he had said earlier.

 *****Flashback*****

Asahina!" One of Yuusuke's friends, who was leaning on the window pane behind, called for him, and he turned. "Sorry, looks like I have to go." He said to the girls and went to join them.

"Hey, 'ssup?" He said to Takeshi, the one who had called for him.

"Hey. Is that new chic your girlfriend?" Takeshi asked.

"Huh?" Yuusuke was caught off guard. "What the heck are you saying?" He asked with wide eyes.

"Of course, you're always hanging out with that chic. And if she's not, mind if you hook us up with her?" Takeshi said. Well, that was enough to anger the already-short-tempered Yuusuke.

"Don't mess around, dumbass!" Yuusuke yelled at him, grabbing the attention of others walking past them.

"Whoa! Chill, I'm just saying. She's hot, don't you think?" Takeshi said, fuelling the fire.

Yuusuke rolled up his sleeve. "One more word about her and you're gone." Takeshi, too, was angered. He said, "Feeling a bit too strong? Let's prove it! If I win, I get to kiss your darling."

Damn; and there it went. Yuusuke lunged at him, one of his hands punching his face, and the other one twisting his arm. Takeshi, as he struggled under him, used his free hand to scratch and punch Yuusuke, successfully ripping his sleeves, but the redhead didn't deter. They were lucky that there were no teachers around at that time, and Yuusuke finally released him when he passed out. The others students rushed to help the unconscious boy.

 *****End of the flashback*****

After all, that bastard had just dared to say something about the most important person of his life.

* * *

 **Yep, short but okay-okay chapter from my side. I can't wait for the romance to start, but that would probably take some more chapters, depending if I would like to add the scenarios in my mind or not. I have a lot of funny scenarios lined up in my brain, and on the other hand, I'm like a desperate fool, waiting for the romantic part. But I can't skip the part in between just like that.**

 **Send me your suggestions, and I would be more than happy to write those. Review, and fav and follow if you like!**

 **At your service,  
Diamond Shyn **


	16. Chapter 16: Detective by chance

**Red Diamond**

 **Hello! Back with chapter 16!**

 **Where are my dear readers, reviewers? I would like to thank my dear friend** **misa241098** **for reading and reviewing every chapter, though.**

 **And to give you all a better idea of what Sabrina looks like, it's an Indian actor Kriti Sanon (you can Google her). She's really cute!**

 **Let's start with another chapter. I only hope you enjoy it!**

 **Disclaimer: No, I do not own Brothers Conflict, but my OCs. And yeah,** _ **Final Destination 5**_ **spoilers alert!**

* * *

Chapter 16: Detective by chance

Sabrina's POV

It was Friday, which meant another extra Science class. _Oh, no David, please!_ However, much to my happiness, I got the news that he wasn't free for the class, so I could either stay at school for studying (or doing whatever I wanted) or could go home. I wandered the school for some time; it wasn't the dispersal time yet. There were a lot of students staying back for studying, including our poor Yuusuke, and some basketball players for their upcoming tournament.

I looked around me, just the eerie doors and windows to different classrooms. I peeked in some classrooms, and to kill some time, I entered the music room and tried playing guitar, but failed horribly. Luckily, there was no one who heard me, or their ears would have been bleeding.

I exited the music room and went to the first floor of the school, to peek in Yuusuke's classroom, and saw him holding his head in his hands, looking highly frustrated. "Why?" He yelled at the notebook in front of him. The handful of other students surrounding him looked at him, annoyed, and he apologized. I giggled seeing that.

An idea came into my mind and I took out a sheet, wrote 'Aww! Looks like someone's in trouble!' on it, crumbled it, and threw it at Yuusuke. It successfully hit his head, and he snapped his head back, looking around for the culprit, while I ran away from the class. I heard his voice even in the hallway, "Who the hell did that!?" I laughed.

I eventually reached another floor, panting after the run. After a while, I heard some other... weird, to say, woman's sounds. _What the hell?_

I walked around searching for the source of the noise, and reached a classroom whose door was locked. I pepped in through the window, and saw that the Player, oh, Sasakura, was making out with another blonde girl. I recognized her as Minakami Natsuki, one of those popular girls in the junior wing.

 _So Yuusuke was right! This guy is a player! And a junior, seriously?_ He was cheating on Mahoko. I wanted to confront him right there – I had caught him red handed, but Mahoko wasn't with me at that time.

Sighing, I banged on the door and ran away.

O~O~O

I reached home, intending to call Mahoko right away. I knew that she wouldn't easily believe my words, especially without a proof, and unfortunately, I had none. I kept thinking about it while changing, and when I stepped out of my room, I was greeted by a hug from Tsubaki.

"Hey!" I said, hoping that he will be able to refresh my mind.

"Hey! How have you been doing?"

"Tsubaki release her!"

"Why Azusa? She's so cute!"

*Slam!*

"Ow, Azusa!" Tsubaki stepped back, rubbing his head where Azusa had punched him.

"Sorry for that. You know how he is." Azusa apologized, looking at Tsubaki through the corner of his eye.

"That's okay. What's up, by the way?" I said.

"We have an event, and-" Azusa began, and Tsubaki cut him off, "You are coming, right?" He exclaimed, and Azusa sighed.

"Of course, how can I miss it? When is it? I replied.

"It's tomorrow at six in the evening." Azusa said.

"Perfect! What is the event about, anyway?" I asked.

"It's about an upcoming anime. It's a promotional event, just giving the fans a walk through." Azusa answered.

"Azusa and I are rivals. You're not gonna miss it, okay?" Tsubaki said, winking at me while saying the last line.

"That's cool!"

O~O~O

Talking to them helped at some extent. Also, I observed that the twins were really close to each other. It made me wonder how my life would be if I had a twin. Sure enough, I would be like Tsubaki, the loud and outgoing type, and my twin would be like Azusa, cool and calm. Tsubaki can be cheeky and pushy at times but Azusa always keeps a check on him. But on second thoughts, I guess I had someone to keep a check on me, while driving me crazy at the same time.

 _Did you call me?_

Of course, the mini-me. My twin, no?

 _Sure, I'm your ghostly, invisible, inaudible twin, which probably doesn't exist in real life._

"But you exist for me."

 _I am probably the result of your mental sicknesses._

"Okay shut up. And I have none." Hmm, the inner-me does a real good job of driving me crazy. I'm never let down.

I was still thinking of how to tell Mahoko that she was being cheated. That's when my mind when overdrive. _You have many options, like, "I just saw your boyfriend being the player he is." Or, "Your boyfriend is someone else's boyfriend too." And also, "You lost battle to a blonde bitch!"_

"Stop that!" I told myself. However, after a while, those options seemed to be the best ones, with the exception of the last one. The stress was still there, since it was my first time being a detective by chance and spying on my bestie's boyfriend.

I tried my special 'stress relief exercise' – I climbed my bed, threw my arms up in the air, and began jumping on the mattress. I must've looked like a monkey getting rewarded with a truck full of bananas.

After some time, when I was drained of my energy, I laid on my bed, looking at the oh-so-interesting roof. I could hear Yuusuke arguing with someone on the upper floor, Tsubaki's faint gigs, and Yuusuke yelling at Tsubaki, perhaps. These things surprisingly calmed me down, and I had my mind sorted.

I was going to tell Mahoko straight away that she was being cheated, and roll up my sleeves to go and beat him up. I didn't care about being suspended.

And, I would love to beat someone up after a long time. I hadn't done that since months.

I was getting bored, so I turned on a random movie I had in my collection. It turned out to be none other than _Final Destination 5_ , downloaded by a cousin when I was in India. By the time I realized it was an uncensored version, showing gross deaths and blood, it was already too late.

I already hated blood, and seeing people getting impaled by iron rods certainly didn't help. "What the hell!" I screamed. The premonition part alone made me nauseous. I flinched at every scene. I probably was the only fool existing in this world who was terrified by a movie, but didn't have the guts to go near the screen and turn it off, thanks to the sudden blood attacks.

I sat in the dark, on my bed, clutching my pillow near my chest, and hiding my face every five seconds. It was already dusk, making the room even darker, giving me the chills. _Damn, and you were hoping to watch Titanic._

Half of the movie was over, and the whole time I kept telling myself that it was going to be all okay. And then came Olivia Castle's death scene...

The second I saw the setting – the grey walls, and the quiet, unsettling atmosphere, with strange, hazardous machines – I freaked out. Then the death. Her death was the _worst_ thing I had ever seen in my life. Like, who shows someone's eye being seared? For a second, I felt myself suffering her fate, and I went completely out of control.

I ran out of my room, screaming (side by side taking care to not trip on anything, since I didn't want to die that way; that was the effect the movie had on my mind), and ended up on the fifth floor. I saw the twins rehearsing their scripts, Yuusuke, and Wataru there, and I immediately gripped the redhead, squeezing his shoulders, eyes still wide open.

"I-I-I-I just saw someone dying!" I cried, and all of them gathered around me.

"Who? Who died?" Azusa impatiently asked, already in a running motion.

"I'm scared!" Wataru said, and clung on to Yuusuke's left leg. By that time, Yuusuke couldn't possibly move, since both of us were clinging on, leaving only his right leg free.

"On my TV screen!" I said, panicking.

"Wait, what?" Yuusuke said. Wataru left his leg. Tsubaki had already left for my room, and he came back, laughing. "It's a movie!"

"Oh... yes, it was a movie... yes, it was a movie..." I said and dropped to my knees, realization flooding me. Azusa sighed, and Yuusuke probably sighed in relief. Tsubaki started laughing. "I have seen it. You got freaked out because of that eye operation, right?"

"Yeah! Plus, it was uncensored!" I exclaimed, still recovering, "I thought, what would happen if I were in her shoes, and then you know what happened."

"Who told you to watch such a movie?" Yuusuke asked sternly.

"By mistake, man. I need to bash my cousin who downloaded such rubbish. And, yeah, sorry, all of you guys." I said, taking a sip from the glass of water Wataru had just fetched. "I hate blood. And it was all about blood. So, you get it."

"You can sleep in my room tonight. I can put you sleep easily. Only sweet dreams, I promise." Tsubaki said, winking at me for the second time today.

"What the heck, stay away from her!" Yuusuke yelled at him.

"That's true; I'm way too scared to sleep alone tonight." I shyly admitted. Yuusuke looked at me open-mouthed.

"Of course you can come with me." Tsubaki said, rushing to take my hand, but Azusa shoved it away. "Stop with that, Tsubaki."

"I prefer going with Wataru." I said, and asked Wataru, "Can I sleep in your room tonight?"

With a hint of blush on his cheeks, he said, "Yes! Onee-chan is coming to sleep with me!"

"Ouch, I'm hurt!" Tsubaki faked being hurt upon hearing my words. I giggled.

O~O~O

I cuddled with the fluffy teddy bears on the bed. Wataru was fast asleep already. I giggled at how he earlier had said, "I'm going to protect you, onee-chan!" The fur of the cream-colored cat-like soft toy brushed against my arms. It was one of the cutest toys he had in his collection. I would definitely love to have one like that. On my other side, I had a crimson-colored bear, holding a little heart-shaped pillow, saying 'I love you!', brushing against my knee. I wondered how both of us fitted on the same bed with countless toys.

I made a point in my mind to check my room tomorrow for any signs that indicated death. _Will you stop with that nonsense? Or shall I remind you of those deaths again?_

Without another thought, I closed my eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

 **Okay, so how was it?**

 **My Final Destination 5 story – It was midnight, and my father was sleeping with me. On the TV, we had this movie playing, and I was like, "Yeah... stupid deaths." And then I saw Olivia's death. OH. MY. GOD. I covered my eyes with my blanket. After it was over, I looked at dad, and saw... that he was sleeping! Like, aren't you freaked out, man?!**

 **Plus, I was supposed to visit my eye doctor by the end of the week. HOW COULD I ERASE THAT IMAGE OUT OF MY MIND?!**

 **Then I checked out the movie on YouTube, and saw its uncensored version by mistake. And that was the biggest mistake of my life.**

 **(By the way, it all happened yesterday night, and the YouTube thing right before writing this chapter. Yeah, that's how I get inspired to write stories (-_-))**

 **Sorry for the spoiler. This episode will trigger a romantic item in the future chapters, I promise.**

 **PLEASE review, and fav and follow if you find my story worth it!**

 **At your service,  
Diamond Shyn **


	17. Chapter 17: Events

**Red Diamond**

 **Hey!**

 **I can't believe we're already at the 17th chapter! Initially, I didn't know how to post multi-chapter stories, and wandered around on the site, asking writers how to update stories, and now here we are, on the seventeenth chapter of** _ **Red Diamond.**_

 **Plus, a shout-out to** **Dark Rose Charm** **. Thanks a lot for reading and reviewing my story!**

 **Hope you all like how my character looks and the new chapter. I hope I'm doing justice to the story line. Review if you want anything additional, or want any scenario in this story (as long as it is decent, T-rated lol). I would love to read your opinions.**

 **Disclaimer: *Me breaking into the Rejet's office, and stealing the copyright papers*  
Me: *screaming in victory, holding the documents* Yay! I now own BroCon! Haha!  
*Guards rush to the office, and put handcuffs on my hands*  
Guards: *speak in Japanese* You were too loud for a robber.  
Me: *speaks in English* What?  
You see, I do not own Brothers Conflict, just my OCs.**

* * *

Chapter 17: Events

Sabrina's POV

"And where are my fans?" Tsubaki said on the mike, and put and ear forward to the audience, to which the fans screamed, "Here!" I hooted from the back, along with a few other female fans.

Tsubaki and Azusa had already enacted their roles, and now had begun singing their character songs. The girls around me kept hooting every few seconds. Beside me, Yuusuke had shut his ears with his hands, crying, "Don't hoot!" I giggled at his reaction, while listening to the song sung by Tsubaki. Immediately after his song ended, a round of thunderous applause came from the audience.

Yuusuke and I were sitting in one of the corner seats, because of my silly act the same afternoon.

 *****Flashback*****

Grabbing my clothes in the morning was easy, but now, I had to stay in that room. I didn't know why, but I was afraid that something might kill me. I still had the _Final Destination_ hangover.

I closed the door slowly behind me, not locking it in case I had to run from a possible death attack. I roamed in my room, looking at each and every corner of it, searching for a bomb, perhaps. After finding nothing out of place, I saw the television screen, saying 'Movie 156185_16'. I instantly deleted it, and felt super relieved.

I opened my laptop to write a message for my cousin, but I felt someone unlocking my bedroom's door. According to my calculations, no one was supposed to be at the floor at that time. The door opened and was shut again, and I thought it was possibly a 'serial killer' searching for me to kill me mercilessly.

I picked up random stuff and threw at my future-murderer, including books, pillows, stationery, and what not. "Hey! Listen!" The guy said through muffled voice.

I picked up a bottle of paint and threw it on the man, and saw a glimpse of red hair. "Hah!" He said, and the voice slowly started to register in my brain.

"Don't tell me..." I whispered to myself. _Tada!_ _It's your lovely redhead!_

I saw him covered in pink paint from head to toe, looking at me, asking through his eyes, what he had ever done to me for me to do this to him. I smiled like a helpless fool, thinking what I should even say next.

"Sabrina..." He mumbled, frowning.

"Ohhhhhhh! It was you... Oh... I mean, I am sorry..." I said. I smiled nervously.

We went into the washroom to clean him up, and then he went to take a bath. He returned with a pink colored left ear. "Seriously, from where did you get this strong paint?" He asked. The wall behind him looked more interesting, to be honest. _It always does, when you act like a jerk, and then you stand in front of the poor affected person. In this case, the redhead with a pink ear. Colorful guy now, yeah?_

Thankfully, my Shah Rukh posters behind him were safe!

 *****End of flashback*****

Sure enough, he was wearing a hoodie to hide his pink ear.

I looked at the stage, Azusa had begun singing. By the time his song ended, an equally strong applause came from the audience. They sung a duet as well, and their voices synchronized with each other very well. Probably because they were twins? I guess that fact helped. The song was incomparable to any other, as they ended the show, bowing to the audience. All of us clapped. I swear I saw Tsubaki look at me, and smile. When I was certain that he was looking my way, I smiled and waved at him. He winked at me, his grin turning into a smirk. "Tsubaki is such a bastard." I heard Yuusuke mumble.

After the performers had dispersed, the crowd began to lessen, and I dragged Yuusuke along to the backstage green rooms. Before I could knock the door labeled 'Tsubaki and Azusa Asahina', the door opened and someone enveloped me into a hug. I knew who it was right away and hugged him back, "That was amazing, Tsubaki-san!" I exclaimed, while we broke away.

"And you were wonderful too, Azusa-san!" I said looking at his twin behind him.

"Thanks." He said and smiled. Yuusuke and I entered the the room. Beside me was a mini-fridge, a large wardrobe, and adjacent to it were the dressing tables with huge mirrors, bordered by small lights. On the next wall, beside Yuusuke, was a medium-sized window, covering the view with blinds. The redhead lifted the blinds to see the busy road, with the entrance of the building crowded with news reporters and fans.

"That's a huge crowd." He said matter-of-factly. Tsubaki grabbed a few bottles of juice from the fridge, and passed one to Yuusuke. He caught it before it could hit his head. "Let's raise a toast." The white-haired twin suggested.

Azusa gave me a blue bottle. "It's iced tea. Hope you're okay with that."

"Of course, thanks." I said, "To the best voice actors!" All of us raised our bottles, and drank a sip or two. _Or ten._

"So, did you like our acting?" Tsubaki asked, and I replied, "Yeah, you guys were great! Plus, it's my first time coming to an event like this. It makes it even more exciting."

"Glad you liked it." Azusa said.

"By the way, do you know when it is releasing?" I asked.

"The anime isn't releasing until the end of next year, but the game shall be released in the next few months. I'll get the details from Natsume." Tsubaki answered.

"Natsume?" I asked, confused.

"His company is the one making the game." Azusa said. _Okay, so the triplets work together. Almost._

"I can get you a copy of the game before it releases, if you want." Tsubaki offered.

"Really? That would be great!" I exclaimed.

"Consider it done, then." Tsubaki said and winked. _Hmm, he's got this weird habit of winking. Hopefully only at girls._

He grabbed another bottle, this time wine, but Azusa stopped him. "No drinking. We've got our auditions for the anime this evening."

"Another anime?" I asked, impressed. They had just finished promoting one and they already had another one on their plate.

"Yes, the one which got Azusa and me into voice acting. It's being remade, and we're going to audition for it."

"Yeah, that roboti- Hm!" Yuusuke began but was muffled by Tsubaki's hand. "Shut up, you idiot!" Tsubaki said in a low voice, almost inaudible to me, but because I was standing near Yuusuke, I could hear him. He turned to me and said in a cheerful voice, "I prefer to keep the name confidential, but I'll give you a surprise once I'm chosen as the lead."

"Oh, cool!"

O~O~O

It was tenth December, Sunday, the day of Subaru's match. I dressed up in a grey top and jeans, and also grabbed a scarf in case I had to spy on Natsume again. _Why the hell are you so nosy?_

"Because I want to know what the problem is. And you're saying as if you aren't interested in knowing what the matter is. You are, right?"

 _Duh, I am. Oh, this typical Gemini!_ I snorted and boarded the train in front of me After all this time, I had memorized some routes, for instance, the way to school and markets, the cherry blossom park (I never went but people talked about it so much that I was tempted to go there), and the way to the sports' stadium. I had Google Maps turned on in my phone for extra insurance.

I reached the stadium, and sat on the first row. Unfortunately, just as the match started, Natsume arrived and noticed me. "Hey, what are you doing here?" Natsume asked me, as he took the seat in the second row, right above me.

"Subaru had invited me to watch his match. It's good, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is." He said, after a minute, he asked, "Were you here in the last match?"

"Um, yes. How did you know?"

"I believe it was you whom I saw last time." He said, getting quiet at the end.

"Were you here too last time?" I asked, pretending to be unaware of his presence in the last match. I could just say that 'Oh, I saw you last time. I was watching you more than the match. Just spying, you know.' No.

The game went on pretty well; it was a match worth watching, as there was no team on the lead. But there was no Subaru. I wondered where he was, when they announced that 'Asahina' was going to replace one of his teammates. I cheered. He walked into the stadium looking a like a professional, like those in the movies, with straight emotionless faces, looking ahead at their 'warzones'. He looked my way and smiled, and then saw Natsume perhaps, as his expression changed drastically.

He played on, giving his team a boost. I looked back and saw that Natsume had a serious expression on his face, with somewhat pride. The match soon got pretty critical, but at the last seconds, he rushed and tackled the players of the other team wisely, finally earning a score. His team thus won, and to be honest, I deep inside knew that Meiji's was going to win.

Natsume and I exited the stadium together, discussing about the match, when Natsume's phone rang. "Need to attend it. Business call." He said and left. "No problem" I whispered to myself.

Being one of my favorite pastimes, I looked around myself. The weather was clear, with the sun shining down. It helped to balance the cold weather, soon regaining its color as the sun went down. most of the crowd had already departed. I played with the ends of my scarf for a couple of minutes when I heard Subaru's voice, "Sabrina!"

Narrator's POV

Sabrina turned to see Subaru running towards her, with a light, white-colored jacket on him this time. "Hey!" Sabrina said as he approached her.

From a distance, Natsume watched as his brother came running to Sabrina. "Yes, yes, sir. I'll just call you back." He said and hurriedly ended the call. He brisk-walked to the scene, not intending to look like he wanted to interject, but intentionally, he wanted to do so badly.

He should be with his coaches, he thought as he went, Is Sabrina the reason why he is distracted? He remembered a recent meeting with him.

 *****Flashback*****

Natsume was driving by the Sunrise Residence; he was on the way to his home. Just as he was about to drive past the gate, he saw Subaru walking towards the main door. Something clicked in his mind and he got out of the car and called for him, "Subaru!"

Subaru looked at him, and then turned away, ignoring him. Natsume wasn't exactly happy by his reaction, and also by what he had read in the sports magazine the day before, _"Asahina Subaru isn't concentrating much lately. Critics say that he stays distracted most of the time. This has affected his game very much."_

Natsume ran up to him and stopped him from entering. "What do you want?" Subaru snapped at him.

"I've heard that you aren't concentrating on the game lately. What has happened to you?" Natsume asked, and right at that moment, Sabrina and Yuusuke came back from the twins' event. "Hey, both of you are here?" Sabrina asked, looking at both of their faces. Yuusuke looked surprised to see them together.

"Yeah, I was just passing by, so decided to stop here for some time." Natsume replied, glancing at Subaru.

"Oh, good. Come on in. And hi, Subaru!" She said.

"H-hi." He said with a faint smile, blushing. Natsume examined him carefully.

"How was your practice?" She asked him, and he replied, "It was good. You remember it's my match tomorrow, right?"

"Yes, I do. Best of luck for tomorrow." She said and patted him on his shoulder. His blush grew even more. Sabrina and Yuusuke went inside, and Subaru followed Sabrina's way from the corner of his eye.

"Is it her?" Natsume asked after they were out of sight.

Subaru averted his eyes and said, "Mind your own business." And walked inside. Natsume didn't stop him this time; he had an idea about what the deal was with him.

 *****End of flashback*****

Meanwhile, Subaru had approached Sabrina, and asked in an enthusiastic voice, "Did you watch me?"

"Yes, and you were great!" She replied, and without another word, he hugged her. Sabrina hugged him back, happy that he was coming out of his shy-boy covers. She was planning on asking him why he used to blush whenever he saw her, when he said, "Thank you, Sabrina."

"Me? Why?" She asked, perplexed.

"You were the reason I won today. I wanted you to see me win." He replied, and Sabrina smiled. She definitely didn't understand where the conversation was going. For her, he was an elder brother.

"I'm happy for you." She replied, and he felt even better.

"Can I, uh, ask you a question?" He hesitated a bit, and she said, "Sure, go on."

"Do-" He began, but Natsume interjected, "What are you doing here?" Subaru was startled to see him all of a sudden, but a scowl quickly crept its way back on his face as he retorted, "I should be asking you that. Why the hell are you here?"

"That doesn't matter. You should be with your coach, your managers now, thanking them, not wasting your time out here. This was just round two; don't let the success get to your head. Get your butt back in there." Natsume reprimanded as if he was a teacher, scolding his student.

"I know, but I don't want any advice from a loser like you who quit his game." Subaru angrily said, and looked away. Sabrina listened to them silently, with full interest.

"It's true, I quit the game, but I never pulled this crap like you were going to do just now." Natsume said, and Subaru looked at him, wondering, how did he know? Natsume continued, "I know what you were going to do."

"Tch," Subaru said, then turned to Sabrina and said, "I'll... talk to you later." And walked off, sticking his hands in his pockets. Sabrina looked in his direction, and then back at Natsume, trying to put two and two together. _Quit the game? What happened in the past?_ She thought. Natsume came to her and said, "I'm sorry you had to see that." She nodded, still clueless about the situation.

O~O~O

Natsume dropped her back home, and after, at the dinner table, Sabrina asked Subaru, who was sitting right in front of her, "What was it that you wanted to ask me?" Everyone looked at Subaru, whose cheeks immediately took a crimson shade as he fumbled with his words, "I-uh-um..." She kept looking at him patiently, waiting for him to say something.

"Nothing important at all. Just... nothing." He said, looking at his plate, picking at his food.

"Sure?" She asked.

"Yeah..." He suppressed the words inside him, the words he wanted to tell her.

"Oh, so today..." Kaname began narrating an event that occurred earlier in the day. Everyone listened to him, and burst out laughing at the end. All except Subaru, he kept his glance down, then at Sabrina, and then down again. How could he say that he wanted to go out with her in front of everyone? Why did Natsume have to interrupt him at the stadium? It could've been so easy, just letting out emotions in front of her and no one else, but Natsume had made it difficult for him now.

Of course, he thought, Natsume had to do that. He couldn't let him live in peace.

He picked up his plate filled with merely-touched food and stalked to the kitchen. "What happened Subaru-san? Are you not going to eat tonight?" Sabrina asked him.

"N-no. I'm done." He cut it short and walked back to his room, thinking if he was wrong somewhere. Was he just rushing it all too quickly?

* * *

 **Yeah, I ruined the moment, along with your expectations about the scene. Hehe, I'm so bad!**

 **I just thought of adding a few more scenes in which I give the boys reasons to fall for her, while I continue with humor. Hope that sounds like a valid reason for why I decided to spoil our shy boy's proposal.**

 **Kindly review, and follow and fav for more!**

 **At your service  
Diamond Shyn **


	18. Chapter 18: Is It Called Jealousy?

**Red Diamond**

 **Hey there! It's time for chapter 18!**

 **Okay, so, what do you think about the romance part? Should it begin in the next chapters or shall I wait a little more? I need your opinion on this, and we can do it the way you guys want.**

 **Plus, I've changed the story's cover. Like it?**

 **Thanks for the fav, follow, and reviews** **Dark Rose Charm** **!**

 **I hope you like how the things go by in this chapter. Nothing is planned, by the way. This was a random chapter that came into my mind. I would like to thank** **Teagarden** **for the inspiration, though, because one of her chapters from her story** _ **Intricate Relations**_ **provoked the thought. (You should definitely check out the story!)**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Brothers Conflict, just my OCs.**

* * *

Chapter 18: Is It Called Jealousy?

Sabrina's POV

It was Monday, and I was standing in front of my school, staring at its exterior, thinking if I should tell her about Sasakura or not. _Obviously you've gotta tell her! Now go._

I felt a sudden push as I jerked forward, but took control of myself before I could fall down. Yuusuke noticed that and rushed towards me, asking, "What happened?" The truth was that no one had actually pushed me. It was just me overreacting, while my inner-me pushed me. Strange, isn't it?

Yuusuke looked at me for an answer, while I blabbered, "Oh, do you know that a strange force exists in this world? The force you cannot see, but feel very strongly. It's paranormal, not in the ghosts' sense. A strange pull towards the earth, oh no, not gravity again." He stood still, with his hands folded over his chest, one of his eyebrows raised, as a few other students around us stared at me.

"Sabrina, you're making no sense. What's the matter? You don't need to lie. I can see that something is on your mind." He said, and I threw my hands up in the air and said, "I saw Sasakura cheating on Mahoko!"

"Huh?" He stood still for a moment, and then burst out laughing in victory, "I knew it! Haha, that player! Yeah, he's gone now!" Now everyone present there stared at us. I dragged his arm and took him to the gym to tell him what had happened. A few people were already there, playing basketball. I described the incident and he listened carefully, and quite a few times threw his fists up in the air to indicate his how right he was. After the story ended, he simply said, "I knew this would happen." I sighed.

"Now let's tell this to Mahoko." I suggested, and before we could step out of the gym, a guy playing basketball called for Yuusuke. "Yeah, hey!" Yuusuke replied.

"So, she's your girl? Nice." He said as if I wasn't present there, ignoring me like I was air. Yuusuke blushed _again_ and tried to explain, "N-no! She isn't!"

"Really? Then who is she?" He asked, looking at me. I gave him a fake smile, took Yuusuke's arm in mine, and said, "I'm someone special." Oh boy! If there were any awards for best reactions, a Nobel should've been given to Yuusuke without a second thought. His face was as red as a tomato, his mouth hung open, as he looked from the basketball guy to me, then back to him, then back to me in shock. I took him by his arm to the exit of the gym. Once we were outside, I burst out laughing, while he stood watching me, with imaginary question marks over his head. "Yu... Yuusuke haa! Your reaction!" I said between my fits of laughter.

"Hey, what are you doing here? What's so funny?" Mahoko approached us, and my laughter diminished.

"Um, hi." I said as I slowly waved at her. Before she could say anything else, I rushed, "Sasakura is cheating on you."

"What?" She asked, puzzled. I sighed and said, "Okay, lemme explain it to you. Last Friday, before I went home, I saw him making out with that junior princess, what's her name? Mina... Minakami Natsuki, yeah."

She stood uncharacteristically quiet for a minute, just looking at my face, and then said, "I don't believe it. He can never do this to me."

"What? I told you he's a player! He's cheating on you and you don't believe it?" Yuusuke shouted at her, but I noticed that she was frowning.

"It's okay..." She mumbled. "Just don't tell me the truth."

"Huh?" Yuusuke and I said in unison, astonished at her statement. She continued, "I don't want to lose him. Plus, I haven't caught him red handed. I don't want to believe in what you're saying."

"Do you trust me?" I asked her.

"Obviously I do, of course I do. But, just don't tell me the truth. It's hard to take in. I just... can't live without him." She said.

"So you're going to continue with him?" Yuusuke asked, and she replied, "Yes." Yuusuke was as astonished as I was. Still, I decided to go with what she was saying. "Okay, but he serves a good punch at least, right?" I asked, hoping for a yes. Instead, she vehemently denied my request.

"Why? Please!" I whined, and she refused. I made puppy eyes too, but she didn't melt.

O~O~O

It was the time for dispersal, and as David could not take my class on Friday, I had an extra Science class with him today. I walked to the staff room to call him, and on the way I saw Sasakura walking in the same direction as I was; he couldn't see me, I was way behind him. And just like they show in cartoons, a light bulb appeared over my head and lighted – because I had an idea. _If you can't punch him, then at least you can this much. He deserves it!_

I made sure that no one was around, and quickly tip-toed near him, and the next moment I was right behind him. There was an open window pane in front of him, so I kicked on the underside of his knees so that he lost his balance, his face crashed on the window in front of him. He passed out after that, and fell back. _That was quick. Is he that delicate?_

I opened my bag and took out a permanent marker, and made him my canvas. I drew a moustache, thick eyebrows, black-colored blush on his cheeks, outlined his lips, and a necklace on his neck. On his hand, I wrote the 'm-word' and giggled at how handsome he looked. _That's a masterpiece for sure!_

I again checked if anyone was on the floor, but luckily no soul was around. I clicked his photo with my IPod, and fled from the scene as quickly as I could. As for him, I let him rest there and hoped that he wouldn't wake up until the next day, so that one of his fellow admirers or minions could see him that way, and bless the culprit. I sent the photo to Yuusuke, captioned 'My Masterpiece'.

I reached the staff room and called David, "Good afternoon, sir." He looked at me very cheerfully, as if he was waiting for me for so long, "Here you are, Sabrina dear!" _Dear? Or deer?_

"Um, the extra science class, sir?" I said, clutching the strap of my bag. He rose from his seat, and showed one of his fake frowns, "I'm afraid we don't have a vacant class room for the class." _Really?_ In this huge, two-storey school, we didn't have even one classroom vacant?

"What about the library, sir?" I asked.

"The librarian needs to arrange all of the books back in place. You know, the students have mixed up all the books, so it will be closed for a while." He said. I noted that he only pretended to be disappointed; otherwise, he was glad enough. _Good for you! No class today!_

"Then we probably have no class today, right?" I asked, and he grimaced, "We cannot do that. Can we go to your place?" _Wait, no._

"We have no other option, dear." He continued. I couldn't refuse – after all, he was my teacher – so I sighed and agreed.

"Good, let's go." He said as if someone pumped energy into him, and marched off to the exit of the room. _Damn, this guy is annoying._

"He's my teacher, dude." I whispered to myself.

 _But don't you feel like beating him?_

"Of course I do. I feel like pulling off his hair till he is bald, and then stick each one on his face with hot glue till it forms a messy big beard." I whispered a bit louder at the end, so he turned and asked, "Did you say something?"

"Oh, no, sir." I denied, fixing my hair. We walked, and I insisted on going downstairs with the staircase on the other side, far away from where Sasakura was having his peaceful sleep.

O~O~O

Narrator's POV

David and Sabrina reached the Sunrise Residence, with the teacher exclaiming at the size of her house. "That's huge! How many people live here?"

"Me and my brothers." She simply replied with a poker face, hoping that she wouldn't be disturbing the household. They took the lift to go to fifth floor while David examined the buttons carefully, which seemed pretty weird to her. _Sick freak._

They reached the fifth floor, and were welcomed by Yuusuke. "Hey Sabri- huh? You?" He said.

"Is he your boyfriend? Living in the same house? Too bad, this guy stole such a beauty's heart before I could!" He and put on another plastic frown on his face, mourning at his non-existing feelings' loss. Yuusuke still wanted to kick him out of the house, and Sabrina was wondering _where have you gotten yourself into?_

"Uh, sir, he's my brother." She said, and the moment she did, David's expression underwent a complete 180 degree change and he was cheerful again. "Great! Then, shall we start?"

Sabrina was taken aback by this and took a second to respond, "... yes?" She showed him the way to the couch, and when David examined the interior of the house, Yuusuke asked Sabrina, "What is this bastard doing here?" Sabrina shushed him, since they were standing just behind him, and replied, "Extra class. He said that there were no vacant rooms in school. Thus, we ended up here." Yuusuke mouthed a few swearing words.

"Nice house." David said and casually threw himself on the sofa as if it was his home. "Let's start."

"Yes, sir." She said and told Yuusuke to tell Ukyo that she had a guest over. Sabrina sat beside David and he began explaining some topic to her. Yuusuke hurriedly texted Ukyo and sat near the duo, holding a magazine he didn't know was upside down.

"I guess this brother of yours has special hidden talents too." David said, looking interestedly at the redhead and his magazine. He glared at the teacher. Sabrina took a quick glance at him and motioned him to look at the article.

Soon after, Subaru, Wataru, Masaomi and Ukyo came back from work. Ukyo greeted David, and Sabrina explained it to the eldest and the second eldest that he was her teacher. Wataru kept looking at David, and sat beside Yuusuke while the grownups had their interactions, "I don't like him." He said, crossing his arms.

"Me neither." Yuusuke replied, and looked at the small prints of the glossy page forming a design, not reading a word at all. Subaru tried to ignore them, but eventually sat near the duo, turning on the television in low volume at some random channel. Wataru poked him and asked, "Are you interested in cartoons too?"

Subaru looked at the channel and changed it immediately.

O~O~O

"Who the hell is that?" Tsubaki said, poking Yuusuke repeatedly on his shoulder and head. Yuusuke, who was fed up of the continuous poking from the last five minutes, snapped, "He's her teacher, damn it!"

"Doesn't look like one." Azusa commented as he eyed the duo, and sat on the nearest couch, dragging a pissed off Tsubaki with him.

"Why do they need to sit this close?" Tsubaki asked, green-eyed. For the first time ever, Yuusuke found himself agreeing with Tsubaki. They all watched them suspiciously; they could tell that even Sabrina wasn't interested in studying by him, but was desperate for grades.

In the midst of explaining some physics numerical to Sabrina, David saw another platinum-haired guy with a few books in his hands coming their way, and in a low voice, he asked her, "Is he your brother too?"

She replied, "Yes he is. His name is Iori."

"Okay, so how many brothers do you have?" David asked, tired of counting the men coming in the house since the last hour and a half.

"Thirteen, sir." She simply said, and David gulped. So she's fully guarded, he thought, as he continued with the teaching.

O~O~O

"Do you need coffee, sir?" Tsubaki asked for the fifth time, probably serving anyone for the first and the last time.

"No, thanks." David said with a gentlemanly smile. With an even bigger frown, Tsubaki returned to the kitchen with the tray, and slammed it on the counter.

"Easy, Tsubaki. It'll break, otherwise. Can't risk my cutlery with you." Ukyo said, and took the china off the tray. The white-haired twin sat sulkily, and said, "How much long is he going to stay here?"

"I don't know, better ask them." Ukyo replied, cutting a piece of vegetable.

"Ugh, I really hate him by now." Tsubaki said, tucking his arms behind his head, and Ukyo replied, "By the looks of everyone else in the room, do you think anyone likes him?" Tsubaki sighed and went back to Azusa.

The lawyer got a text from Kaname that he wouldn't be able to be back at home for dinner. Wiping his hands, he looked at Sabrina, and then at David, wondering that Kaname would have made the place even more awkward. By mistake, Ukyo's mind went overdrive and he imagined the scenario if David was her boyfriend. No, he mentally scolded himself, that girl is too young to have one. But on second thoughts, she wasn't that young at all. Plus, what authority did he even exercise over her? None, probably.

True, she did help him a lot in the daily chores, and it felt refreshing to talk to her after a long-hard day of work, while cooking in the kitchen. She had this particular way of making anyone feel special with her. They had meaningful conversations too, and he had become used to her in such a short period of time. But that didn't make her only his, did it?

O~O~O

'I swear I'm going to make it impossible for any guy to be her boyfriend. The poor boy is going to have to go through me first, before reaching her' – These were the twins' thoughts on watching the teacher and the student. Both of the twins' had this depressed look on their faces, as they watched Sabrina letting out a fake laugh on David's stupid puns and jokes, and then urging him to continue the numerical. No need to do that, Sabrina, we can see through the façade, they thought, and looked at the man beside her. However, they were surprised themselves at being so jealous themselves. Was it because of the elder-brother complex?

'Who the hell teaches like that?' – Subaru wondered as he looked the other way, trying to ignore the scene by looking at the oh-so-interesting wall on his left. Yuusuke had this long suffering look on his face, eventually dropping the magazine after every few minutes, then loosely picking it up and repeating the cycle. He looked at the clock every five minutes, thinking if it was the longest day ever.

Sure, it was for him, and for everyone else in the room.

O~O~O

After being deprived of his flirty pickup lines for _three long goddamned hours_ , David, who couldn't control himself anymore, said to Sabrina, a little louder than intended, "I think there's something wrong with my eyes; I can't take them off you." Sabrina quit writing and gave him the look, while all the other brothers around let out a fake cough and glared at the shameless flirt.

Wrong move, man, he thought.

David felt the atmosphere getting heavy. With him being surrounded by glares from all sides, even from the little Wataru, he gulped and ran fingers through his hair, saying, "I... think it's too late, I should go. It was, err, nice meeting you all." He said and hurriedly walked over to the elevator, with Sabrina going behind him to see him off. They both boarded the elevator, and the boys breathed an air of relief.

"Finally, that bastard is gone!" Yuusuke said as he tossed the magazine up in the air, and fell on his back, his head falling in Wataru's lap. The salmon-haired boy complained, but after a moment, he said, "Onee-chan is still with him, right? Should we check on him?"

It felt as if some realization had dawned upon all the males, and each one of them went straight for the window (except the two eldest) from where they could see Sabrina seeing him off. He stood in front of her, while Sabrina bowed. They couldn't hear their conversation, though.

"Thank you for your precious time, sir. It helped a lot." Sabrina said, bowing in front of David. _As if. Just tell him to go or throw a boot at his face._

"You're welcome, my dear." He said, and was about to use another pickup line on her, when his gaze landed on the males watching them from balcony. It looked like they were going to jump across the rails and beat him if he said another word to her. Gulping one more time, he only smiled uneasily at her and turned to go.

Sabrina could not control her happiness after that. She had felt her energy being drained from her after three hours of Physics, and lazily boarded the lift to the fifth floor. When the lift's doors opened, she saw Tsubaki standing in front, and fell in his arms. "God, help me. He was such a pain!"

"True that, he seemed like a pain in the butt." He replied, steadying her in his arms and she stood on her feet. She yawned, and said, "I'm so darn sleepy now."

 **Bonus Scene**

David stared at the long, bright building in front of him. The exteriors give you this calm look; the illusion. He had suffered the hardest time of his life in that building, and he swore to never lie to any other beautiful female student about the classes not being vacant. Who knew how many brothers one has?

It had become hard for him to keep his sanity while men kept coming in; men whom Sabrina called her 'brothers'. Judging from the looks they gave him, he would prefer calling them a 'pack of wolves'. He made a point of not coming back to the 'Haunted House' again, especially after he had used that pickup line. He had never been so scared in his entire life, and the second he had the glares on him, he swore that the memories of his life flashed by his eyes, as if it was his last moment on the planet.

Heaven bless the boy who chooses to date the young lady in there, he thought, as he walked off, taking one last look at the Sunrise Residence.

* * *

 **So, that was a long chapter, wasn't it? I wanted to write more but decided against it, since that would've made it boring. Did you like the chapter?**

 **Please give me a feedback about the chapter and the story cover by reviewing. Feel free to suggest any scenarios! And if you like, please fav and follow!**

 **At your service,  
Diamond Shyn **


	19. Chapter 19: The Real Problem

**Red Diamond**

 **Chapter 19 is here!**

 **I see how you guys enjoyed the last chapter. Even I enjoyed writing it. But reviews? Yeah, only two from my two frequent reviewers (thanks a lot** **misa240198** **and** **Dark Rose Charm** **!) Where are you, readers? We need more reviews (and perhaps more favs and follows). This story isn't THAT bad, is it?  
I mean, my other story **_**Ice Particles**_ **(BroCon fic), which I have decided to discontinue, had TEN FAVS, THIRTEEN FOLLOWS, and FIFTEEN REVIEWS. And that story was a bummer, TBH. I just read the first chapter all over again and I couldn't believe that I had written it – it had so many grammatical mistakes and OMG it was so embarrassing! It had factual mistakes too, and I wanted to delete it right off the bat, but chose not to do that, IDK why.**

 **Okay, that's enough; let's get on with the story. Hope you like it! Just that there's no romance in this chapter. It's humor this time!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Brothers Conflict, just my OCs.**

* * *

Chapter 19: The Real Problem

Sabrina's POV

"By the way, did you like Sasakura's picture that I sent you?" I asked Yuusuke, and for a moment, he stopped cribbing about David and said, "Yeah, it was good! That bastard looked perfect! How did you pull that off?"

I grinned at him, showing my teeth, and said, "It's a secret."

We reached school, and I whispered to him, "Don't tell Mahoko about that photo." He understood and nodded. We entered our class, and by looking through the window, I spotted Mahoko with a pissed off Sasakura near the staff room on our floor. Yuusuke and I went to them, and stood near Mahoko, probably at a feet's distance from the gloomy looking Sasakura, looking at the door of the room, eagerly waiting for someone to come outside.

"Hey Mahoko, Sasakura. What's up?" I said in a cheery voice. Sasakura simply nodded, and Mahoko whispered to us, "Something bad has happened."

"What? What happened?" I asked, faking eagerness in my voice.

"Yesterday after school, someone attacked him. It was just a silly prank. He ended up unconscious, and the guard another teacher found him covered with all kinds of doodles on his face – even slangs! I can't believe that happened!" She said, clearly exaggerating. Then she turned her face at him, who was still looking at the door in frustration. Yuusuke and I had a hard time suppressing our laughter. _Good thing that they aren't looking at you._

"That's sad!" I said in a sympathetic tone, and nudged Yuusuke to do so. He too, passed some comment about how 'bad' the situation was.

The long-awaited teacher came out of the staff room, and said, "I have talked to the Principal about this. We believe it is done by some rival candidate competing for the role of president, just as you are. We'll find that out very soon." He went off, and Sasakura too, went back in the class. Mahoko sighed.

"Or maybe it's one of those exes he has?" I whispered into Mahoko ear, and she snapped her head back to look at me.

"Who knows?" I concluded my statement with a shrug. She eyed my suspiciously, and took me by arm away from the staff room. Yuusuke followed behind. We stopped at the cafeteria, now almost empty, since it was time to go in our classes. "You did that to him?" She asked in a low voice, still threatening enough.

"You think?" I asked her. She nodded, and Yuusuke exclaimed, "Even if she did, then it served that bastard right! After all, he's a freaking player!" Mahoko sighed, and asked me, "Why did you do that?"

"Thank me that I did that! That perv would've been heading off to some other girl's apartment, ready to spend the night with her. And you're whining." I snapped and averted my eyes to the menu board near the counter. _Now I want ramen._

Mahoko, in a softer tone than before, said, "By why did you have to do that? You could've gotten in trouble. Even now."

"That doesn't matter. I've been to the Principal's office quite a lot of times for beating up guys in my old school. So, that isn't a point. Plus, only if you would've allowed me, I would've beaten the crap out of him too." I explained, "I can, even today, if you say."

She finally smiled and said, "No, no need to do that! I'm not going to tell anyone about the incident." We three walked to the classroom, with Yuusuke offering her, "I can even send you his photograph. Trust me, Sabrina really is an artist!"

O~O~O

It was the recess, and I and Yuusuke were sitting in the empty class, looking into abyss, intending to just rest, when we heard a feminine scream coming from the blonde rushing into the class. "What happened?" I said, alarmed.

"It's an emergency!" Mahoko cried, hiding her face. Yuusuke and I were already in our defensive positions, and he asked, "Are you gonna tell us what happened?"

"I was in the washroom, and when I looked into the mirror, I saw this..." She said and revealed her face, "I have a pimple!"

We both sat back on our chairs, relieved that it wasn't anything serious. Yuusuke yawned, and I said in a bored tone, "Oh my god, Mahoko. What are you going to do with your life now?"

Mahoko grimaced, "Aren't you gonna do anything to remove this?!"

I simply threw a notebook on her face. "Gone?" I asked her. She just let out another scream, balling her fists. I found that to be a stupidly interesting game.

"Oh, lemme join you!" I enthusiastically said and stood beside her. "One! Two! Three!" And we screamed together. Yuusuke shut his ears with his hands. "One! Two! Three!" I screamed again, but stopped midway when I realized that she didn't join me. Instead, when I looked at her, she was scowling at me. I averted my eyes to save myself. "Isn't it a bit cold today?" I said, rubbing my arms with my hands, still avoiding eye contact.

"Argh!" She cried, crushing a piece of paper she grabbed God-knows-when. She threw it somewhere and suddenly grabbed Yuusuke's collars.

"Remove. This. Pimple!" She threatened him, her eyes glowing, a look of rage plastered on her face. Yuusuke sensed her aura darkening, and gulped. "I-I, uh, I'll just do uh something." He said, and removed her hands from his collars, and ran out of the classroom, panicking.

Mahoko looked at me, the same look on her face, and I stuttered, "Oh, uh, y-yes I'll do something. Okay, chillax!" I grabbed her shoulders and made her sit down.

"What will become of me now?" She cried, "I'll be so ugly that no one will be interested in me. No one will date me, no one will marry me, and I'll die single! No! I'm so hideous!" She screamed again, and I calmed her down again.

Yuusuke came back running in the class, carrying a compass in his hand. "This will hurt a bit, but your pimple will be gone in a moment." He said, pointing the shiny metal tip at Mahoko. She screamed in horror. Yuusuke took a step forward, and she took three steps backward. I stopped Yuusuke before he could lunge at her.

"No, this is dangerous! We need something that is less dangerous." I said and looked around, and my gaze fell on the mop sticking out of the open cupboard at the end of the class. A smug grin formed on my face.

...

Not half a minute later, the students in the hallway saw me running with a mop after Mahoko, who was hiding her face in her hands, with Yuusuke running behind me, yelling, "My idea was better!"

We ran through the building, and explored corners of the school where I hadn't been before. After running through all the floors, we finally formed a full circle when we returned to our class, panting. Yuusuke informed us, "Only ten minutes are left before the break gets over." I gently cleaned Mahoko's face with the smelly mop, while she struggled under it, begging me to stop. I finally stopped, throwing the mop aside. I checked her face "Is it gone?" Nope, it was still there.

Mahoko then had an idea, and her face brightened, "I can apply some make-up over it!" I nodded. But the problem was that she wasn't carrying her make-up pouch that day. She stomped after she checked her bag, and looked at me.

"We'll ask the other girls!" I suggested, and she asked, "With this face?"

I had an idea.

So, we went around the hallway asking the girls. Oh no, it wasn't as simple. Because of my idea, Mahoko went with all of her hair in front of her face, her head hung low, and due to her stress or whatever, she had this creepy tone coming out of her throat. "Do you have some concealer?" Just like a typical ghost in Hindi serials, she creepily asked a girl in the corridor, and she screamed and ran away.

She asked another two, and exactly the same thing happened. We returned to the class, disappointed. I noticed that Yuusuke had been long gone. "We're going nowhere with this!" She shrieked, and the creepy sound with a higher pitch wasn't that pleasant to the ears.

"You need to stop that voice." I remarked. We thought for a moment, and she asked, "How can I go outside now?"

Oh, and I again had an idea.

...

"Uh, sure, I uh have some, I-I guess." Replied some random girl, smiling nervously at me, after reading the board Mahoko held in her hands.

Mahoko now – again because of my idea – had a paper bag on her face with a stupid smiley drawn on it by her (I would've drawn it better) and a board in her hands that said, "Do you have some make-up? Please?"

The good part was that she finally got some concealer. While she was carefully putting it on, Yuusuke came running out of nowhere and poured a glass of water on her. I could only watch the scene and see my and Mahoko's efforts get ruined, washed away in water. The next minute, Yuusuke realized what he had done when Mahoko glared at him with the imaginary storms surrounding her.

Yuusuke looked at her, and I believe was examining her face. "Err, where is your pimple?" He asked, and my ears perked up. She too, seemed perplexed for a second. She roamed her hand on her face, and then spotted some red thing on her hand. I walked over to her, and Yuusuke and I laughed in disbelief.

"I guess it is a..." Mahoko said smiling, but the corners twitched in annoyance.

"Don't tell me it was a stupid sticker." Yuusuke said, looking at the red sticker in Mahoko's hand, and I face palmed, as the bell rung, indicating that the recess was over.

* * *

 **SORRY FOR THAT ENDING! SO SORRY, I couldn't think of anything better. How was it, by the way?**

 **Now I'm looking forward to some reviews, definitely more than two (and preferably some favs and follows too! Please, guys!)**

 **So lemme tell you the secret: I had this bet with my friend to get more than fifteen favs/follows on my current story. Please, I don't wanna lose to him! Help me!**

 **I hope you liked the chapter, and that you like the next chapters too.**

 **Goodbye till then, my dears! Waiting for reviews!**

 **At your service,  
Diamond Shyn **


	20. Chapter 20: Merry Christmas!

**Red Diamond**

 **It's chapter 20! Woohoo!**

 **This is just a random chapter to get things into line for the romance to start bubbling up. It'll have a little less humor, but yeah, it's a bit fluffy though. I only hope that you like the chapter.**

 **Alert: I don't know if it snows in the setting of this anime, so if it doesn't then kindly forgive me for not researching and being the lazy bum I am.**

 **Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me except my OCs, and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter 20: Merry Christmas

Sabrina's POV

Before I could even tell, it was already the Christmas Eve.

It had been getting cold, and having nothing exciting to attempt, I decided to have an ice-cream in the cold. _Nothing is as good as an ice-cream in winter!_

As I walked to the market and purchased a chocolate flavored cone, I saw a park at a distance. I went inside, and saw couples holding their gloved hands, strolling around. There were surprisingly no children, but on a second thought, there had to be none since it was already the time for sunset.

The atmosphere was romantic, considering the couples around me which were glued to each other, talking in low voices, being all mushy. I was the only single one there, perhaps. The sky had turned into a shade of orange above us. The sun looked like it was melting in the saffron sky, infusing a shade of yellow into it. Gentle breeze played around, making it chillier. I didn't know that the temperatures could dip to such depths in Japan.

I sat on the soft-trimmed grass, admiring the breathtaking view before my eyes. I put on my earplugs and the song _A Thousand Years_ by Christina Perri played. I certainly didn't want a partner to see this scenery with me, I decided. I was on my own; independent, they say. Whom am I ever going to dedicate this song to? I guess no one. _You already have me with you. I'll always be with you._

"I'll always be with me? Wow." I said, chuckling at my own self. I licked the dessert in my hand, stroking the grass with my other hand, as I stretched out one of my legs, the other one bent. I sat silently for a few minutes, and then someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned my head to see that it was Natsume looking down at me, dressed in his formal clothing. I removed my earplugs. "Hey, Natsume-san."

He sat down beside me, keeping his office bag aside. "What're you doing in midst of couples, alone?" He asked.

"Enjoying my own date, I guess." I joked, and he chuckled.

"Don't you have a date?" He implored.

"No, I'm well-off on my own." I proudly declared, "Don't _you_ have a date?"

"No, I'm well-off on my own." He imitated me, and we laughed again. However, the fact that he didn't have a girlfriend was bizarre. He looked like one of those men who were tough on the outside but very romantic when it came to their partners. Plus, such a handsome and charismatic person single?

He took out a smoking pipe out of his pocket and lit up a pipe. Of course, I couldn't silently sit there and watch him blow the cancer pipe, so I snatched it from his hands and crushed it, and threw it away, while he tried to snatch it back the whole time. Before he could say anything, I put a finger on his lips and silenced him, saying, "No smoking, it's bad for health."

We sat there, watching the sunset, with my ice-cream almost melting in my hands. I quickly took a few bites and asked him, "Want a bite?"

"No, thanks." He hesitatingly said.

After sometime, we got up, discussing about the video game he recently sent me. "It's really good. It's just that I'm stuck at the last level, in the desert area. I even defeated the boss but I can't seem to get past the area." I explained.

"Are you? That's bad, then. We'll have to make changes accordingly." Natsume sighed.

"Why? Isn't it out alre- wait, are you saying that I'm the benchmark?" I exclaimed, genuinely surprised.

"Yes. You are a strong gamer who has completed one of our hardest versions in just one go. If the problem is occurring to you, then it must be tuff for the others to crack it." He stated, and I nodded.

We were on the main road, slightly crowded with people. A tiny layer of mist was visible, but wasn't that dense to blur the surroundings. The sides of the paths were illuminated with reindeers and Santa Clause made with tiny LEDs. With a huge grin, I watched the setting around me. This was a first. The people here surely made an effort. I felt someone's eyes on me, so I turned to see Natsume, who averted his eyes right at that second. _Was he watching you?_ I ignored it.

"Looks like the place is in Christmas mode." He said, looking at an LED reindeer. "Yeah..." I agreed.

"So, having any plans for Christmas?" He asked me.

"Lemme check my schedule... Oops, I forgot – I have no schedule. Yes, I'm free tomorrow." I jokingly replied, and we laughed.

He remarked, "But seriously? A pretty high-school girl with no plans?"

 _Wow, people really think you are pretty. I think you look like a mashed potato._

"Aw, I'm so lonely!" I said dramatically, putting a hand on my chest, pretending if I was hurt. We chuckled. "What about you?"

"Not at all, this time is the most profitable for us toy companies. I wish I could take a day off." He said, and I felt bad for him. He already lived alone, and not even having a Christmas break must suck.

"Aw! We both are lonely, yeah?" I said, and we laughed yet again, as we walked to his car.

"You don't need to drop me." I said, but he insisted, "Ukyo-nii will kill me if he finds out that I let my little sister walk back alone to the house. Got some responsibility, right?"

"Hmm, right." I said and got into the car. We drove back home in comfortable silence till we reached the Sunrise Residence. I got out of the car, and I didn't know he did that too. "Thanks for dropping me here!" I thanked him. He took out the olive-green colored scarf from around his neck and put it around mine. Before I could argue, he said, "This is a small gift from the poor brother with no plans to the poor sister with no plans." He said, taking my high-ponytail out of the rolls of fabric. _Well, you can accept it now._

"Thanks." I said, touching the warm scarf.

"Do you always wear your hair up like that?" He asked, still holding my hair in his hands, stroking the strands.

"I guess for the most part I do. Why?" I asked him, and it suddenly felt like he had been awakened from some spell. He slightly flinched, and left my hair.

"Goodnight." He said, and got inside his car. I waved at him. He smiled at me and drove his car. I turned to go back inside the house, thinking that it must be too tiring to keep working, even on a festival. Unfortunately, I couldn't give him a day off, but could definitely give him a small gift.

O~O~O

Rubbing my eyes, I checked my phone. It was earlier than the time I set my alarm on – thirty minutes earlier. Poor me, I couldn't get enough sleep because of the Antarctica-type weather. Taking three blankets didn't help enough too. _How I wish I was a penguin!_

Frustrated, I kicked the blankets off me, and tried to unsuccessfully straighten my tangled hair with my fingers, and acted like a brave warrior, like the cold didn't affect me. It wasn't long before I started to regret my decision; it was freezing cold outside the blankets. "...Merry Christmas to me..." I whispered, shivering and chattering. I started rubbing my arms to get more heat. After all, I was still in a thin, striped cotton top and sweats. _Merry Christmas!_

I walked towards my balcony window and pushed its curtains aside. Through the window, I saw something _amazing._ I opened my window – mind you, this time I wasn't shivering – and extended my hand to confirm that I wasn't dreaming. And when it fell on the palm of my hand, I instantly rejoiced. It was snowing! _Now that's a Merry Christmas!_

Not a minute later, I was out in the yard, dancing in circles, bathing in the snow flurry. The ground was covered in snow, and so were the trees, the building structures, and the plants, giving them an exquisite look. I lifted a handful in my hands and threw it in the air right above me so that it showered on me. I must've been making a lot of noise, that I very soon heard Wataru yelling from his balcony, "It's snowing! Onee-chan!"

"Merry Christmas Wataru!" I yelled from downstairs.

"Merry Christmas, onee-chan! I'm coming!" He yelled, and then another one from the floor above shouted, "Even I am!" It was Tsubaki.

A few minutes later, the household was downstairs – Wataru, Tsubaki, and I were acting like mental hospital patients, like we had never seen snow before (I had, only once); Yuusuke was half asleep, sitting on the entrance doorsteps, grumbling; Masaomi, Kaname, and Subaru were watching us from afar in a shade; Ukyo excused himself to go to the kitchen; Louis and Iori were clicking our pictures. Azusa came up behind me and put a warm bathrobe on my shoulders, "Wear this, or else you'll catch a cold." He advised.

"Thanks a lot, and Merry Christmas!" I said, gladly accepting the clothing. It felt better to be surrounded by a furry hug. He smiled and helped me wear it while I got my hair before they got entangled in the robe. My hair, by now, had a white frosting over them. I dusted them, and while doing the same, a ball of snow crashed against my head, the situation returning back to square one. I turned to see that it was Tsubaki, laughing, with a ball of snow in his hand. I gathered some snow and threw it on his face. The shot was on target, as his face had snow all over, and this time it was me and Wataru laughing at him.

"You can't get away with that!" He said and threw another one at me. I ducked as the shot landed on Yuusuke's face, who was having gusts of sleep. He woke up with a start, and angrily shouted, "Who did that?!"

All of us broke into a fit of laughter. He angrily picked up some snow and threw it in our direction. It was too low, and thus, it hit Wataru. The salmon haired guy threw it back at him, and that's how we started a full-blown snow war.

We dragged the rest of the people standing in the shade with us too, and it was Wataru, Louis, the twins and me on one side, and Yuusuke, Masaomi, Iori, Subaru, and Kaname on the other. With all of us throwing snow at each other, we could call it a Christmas morning. It was childish to do so, yet fun.

Somewhere in the middle of the war, unbeknownst to me, Kaname crept up behind me and grabbed my waist, and lifted me, only to smash my face on the little snow wall Wataru had built. A few others burst out laughing while I lifted up my face like a snow monster. I had to come up with a payback right at that moment. _Forget it, you cannot possibly lift him. Oh, but you can definitely try the 'evergreen' idea._ So...

I extended my hands to the sides of his waist and started tickling him, hoping that he was ticklish. And luckily he was. He started laughing hysterically, rolling on the floor. The cruel me didn't stop. In fact, Wataru and Tsubaki joined me, while Kaname begged, gasping, "Okay stop! S...Sorry! ...Stop!"

When we finally stopped, Masaomi grinned, "That was a nice item for recording."

O~O~O

 _Midday time. Nothing to do. Best. Day. Ever._

"Yeah..." I mumbled, trying to balance a book on my nose, lying on the bed. "We're almost there, baby, don't fall down... "

 _Here's the chimpanzee from the zoo, which ran away by stealing a motor bike from a visitor._

Then the idea of going out to buy something for Natsume struck my mind, and I immediately rose, making the book flip and fly off to Antarctica. I grabbed the scarf he gave me the previous day, stuffed my feet in a pair of shoes, and opened the door, removing the hair band from my hair. I ran fingers through my hair and put the band back up again, certainly not in the mood to comb my locks.

I went towards the marketplace, observing people, just like I always did. I decided to have some fun, like I always did.

I stood behind a man talking on the phone, and shouted behind his phone, "Girls hit your hallelujah – wooh!" And ran away to hide behind the nearest building. Before going, I glanced at his face. It was priceless! He was looking around, perplexed, and yelling, "Who was that?!"

"Merry Christmas!" I yelled back and ran further.

I was soon tired, and bent down to keep my hands on my knees and began panting. I was probably the only one panting in the icy cold air. I blew on my palm and pretended that I was Elsa from _Frozen_. After doing that for a while, I remembered why I had come in the first place, and shrugged, and straightaway went to the music store. I looked for a pair of headphones – since I knew that Natsume was fond of music, as he had told me once – and grabbed a pair of green ones for him, and got myself new black headphones too.

I purchased it and taped a piece of paper to it, and carried it to Natsume's apartment. I knew that he wasn't home, and put it in the mailbox. _He'll like it, hopefully._

O~O~O

Narrator's POV

"And Merry Christmas to me." Natsume sighed as he reached his floor. Christmas was pretty flat for him – work for hours, sign documents, have a drink with coworkers at the end of the day, and return to his own empty apartment to have no one waiting for him. He kept his laptop bag beside the door and unlocked it, when his gaze fell on a red box bulging out of the mailbox.

He took the pack out of his rusted mailbox, and unwrapped the present, and found a paper that read,

" _To the poor, hardworking man with no plans,_

 _Merry Christmas! I hope it meets your taste!_

 _From,  
Santa Claus (with no plans, again)"_

"Sabrina..." He whispered, grinning by default, as he opened the cardboard box and found those green pair of headphones he saw on the display of a music store. He liked them, and was astonished at how she knew that he wanted them.

Talking of Sabrina... he had lately been experiencing something _fairly unfamiliar_ , something which he shouldn't. Though he couldn't see her every day, there was a new longing to see her smiling face. The previous day's image of her showed up for the thousandth time in his mind that day, and closed his eyes to avoid her cheery face; the way she looked around at the usual city decorations. She looked adorable! More than that, was this coming from a brother? He shoved the question away, but it still put itself high.

Were these new feelings bad?

* * *

 **Oh, these feelings are vERY bad, you'll notice at the end of the story...**

 **So yes, we're starting off with the romance, and will very soon reach the destination where we are supposed to be. Review, my lovelies. What on earth does it take to tell the author if you liked the chapter or not? To share the suggestions you have in mind? CRITISM IS WELCOME, FOR GOD'S SAKE!**

 **I'm counting on you guys now...**

 **Forever yours,  
Diamond Shyn **


	21. Chapter 21: The Triplets' Heart

**Red Diamond**

 **Chapter 21!**

 **NOTE: I have made a few changes to the first chapter for the sake of humor (maybe not?). Check it out! Just click on this link... Oh, we have none. Just click on that grey bar and choose the first chapter. No need to review that chapter again, I just upgraded that because I felt like doing it.**

 **Thanks a lot** **bakergirl12** **and** **tigergirl1723** **for adding this story to your favs, and** **klijntje75** **for following** **! And of course, my two dear reviewers** **misa240198** **and** **Dark Rose Charm** **! I'm way beyond glad and grateful for your support!**

 **I just noticed that this anime is on Amazon Primetime. You should've seen my expression when I found it – my grandmother sitting beside me looked at me, as if saying, "In your senses?"**

 **In this chapter, there will be humor in the beginning, and romance in the other half. Spoilers Alert: This chapter is especially for those who were desperately waiting for a kiss to happen (me too). And, here I say, I'll be writing the first kiss scene ever! Yayyyy!**

 **Songs used – Voices In My Head by Nerd Out (Suicide Squad) (Oh I love it!)  
Blank Space by Taylor Swift  
Don't Let Me Down by The Chainsmokers  
Cry Baby by Melanie Martinez  
Me Too by Meghan Trainor**

 **Disclaimer: I may not own Brothers Conflict or the songs used, but I definitely own my OCs.**

* * *

Chapter 21: The Triplets' Heart

Sabrina's POV

"~I don't think that I've gone too far; a little bit wild I know~" There I was, singing _Voices in my head_ on the second last day of the year. I arranged the books on my table as I sang, "~I love the voices in my head; you think I'm running off the edge~" _Aw! I knew you loved me!_

As I sang the song, someone entered my room. I heard the door open behind me, and I thought that it was some intruder, so I grabbed a paper cutter from the table, and turned and shouted, with my hand with the cutter extended towards the so-called intruders, "Surrender or I'll- oh, hi." I realized that it was just the twins, now with their hands up.

 _~Maybe there's crazy in my blood; But I don't care~_

I dropped the cutter. "Sorry!" I apologized.

"Tsubaki, I told you to knock before entering." Azusa sighed, and Tsubaki let out a nervous giggle, "Be thankful that she didn't throw it at us!"

"I thought there was some intruder. And that's stupid of me to think so – you know, who would choose to come to rob the fourth floor, and specifically my room? Oh, and yes, come!" I rambled on. Tsubaki showed me a white pack in his hands, which I hadn't noticed earlier, and said, "Just like I promised, here is another sample game from our next anime!"

"Seriously!?" I exclaimed, "Let's play it now!"

The game had multi-player mode, and all three of us sat down on a pile of cushions I set on the floor in front of the television. I even found a packet of chips in my drawers, which I had completely forgotten about.

The game started, and it began with Tsubaki's voice. I noticed that he frowned upon hearing that. "What's wrong?" I asked him.

"I don't think this is good." He said, "The voice, I mean." _Is he aware that it's his own voice?_

"I find no fault in the voice. It's perfect." I replied. Azusa silently looked at him.

"But I don't think I gave my best." He admitted, drawing circles with his thumb on the controller in his hands.

Azusa smiled at him, "I know you can do better, but this is good." I saw that they were pretty serious about their acting. _So that isn't an easy job too, huh?_ Doing a great job and then finding mistakes in it, judging your own self. Wow.

"I find this perfect. Okay, so I may not know much about voice acting and stuff, but I can say that you can... _feel_ the voice. I mean, it should connect with the audience, right? And it does." I explained. Tsubaki brightened up and said, "You do know a lot."

I grinned and said, "But not the day your results for the audition are coming."

Azusa spoke, "We completely forgot to tell you that! The date is for tomorrow."

"Hmm, that's cool. You'll be getting the perfect birthday gift, because I know you'll be getting the role." I said.

"Yes – and hey, you remember the date?" Tsubaki asked, a bit surprised.

"Of course I do. How can I ever forget that?" I said and grinned. "And I guess we've heard enough background sound of the game. Shall we play?"

O~O~O

That evening, I was simply roaming about in the dining room. I wanted to whip up something but didn't have the motivation to do so. Hence, I ended up singing randomly. And call it a co-incidence, Yuusuke just entered the room at that moment. "Hi." He said, and that's when the time when something struck my brain and I began singing _Blank Space_.

"~Nice to meet you, where you been? I could show you incredible things; magic, madness, heaven, sin; saw you there and I thought; oh, my God, look at that face; you look like my next mistake; love's a game, want to play?~" I sang, and he looked at me with another priceless expression of his. It's like he wanted to say, "What on earth is going on with you?" but he couldn't. I stood there with a stupid smile on my face, tapping my foot to the beats in my head. He blushed, and stuttered before going, "I-I think I should g-go."

Once he was gone, I burst out laughing. The next minute, I was again singing another song.

"~D-Don't let me down; don't let me down~" And then I tried to imitate the tune that came after it, but failed miserably, as always.

O~O~O

At the dinner table, as always, our poor redhead was being teased by Tsubaki. And again, some ghost crept up to my brain (or maybe my mini-me was behind it all) so I began whispering-singing to myself, "~They call you cry baby, cry baby; but you don't fuckin' care; cry baby, cry baby~"

Tsubaki, who was sitting on my right, heard that and began laughing, along with Iori on my left side. Thus, I too, laughed out loud, while the rest wondered what was wrong with us.

O~O~O

 _Are you gonna stop today?_

"~If I was you, I'd wanna be me too; I'd wanna be me too, I'd wanna be me too~" I was singing in front of the mirror at the time I was supposed to be sleeping. Yeah, right before midnight.

 _You're singing that to yourself?_

"~If I was...~ Oh yes" I turned my back to the mirror and began again, "~I'd wanna be me too, I'd wanna be me too~"

 _What do you want with your life?_

"`My life's a movie, Tom Cruise~"

 _No, it's still not._

"~So bless me baby, achoo!~" The moment I sang that, the clock struck twelve. I finished myself with, "~Ow!~"

 _It's officially the last day of the year! Goodnight!_

O~O~O

Narrator's POV

Early in the morning next day, Tsubaki heard a knock on his door. "Yeah... I'm coming..." He dragged himself out of his bed, and stumbled upon the rubbish on the floor quite a lot of times, but finally made it to the door. Letting out a huge yawn, he opened the door, and someone jumped and wrapped the arms around his neck.

"Happy Birthday!" When he heard that feminine voice he really liked, he immediately hugged her back, tight. "Thanks!" He said in his usual cheerful demeanor, all hints of sleep gone.

Sabrina pulled away and gifted him a small bouquet yellow tulips, "I asked Iori-san for these. Plus, I helped him grow these. So, here's your gift!" She handed him the bouquet, and he looked at them, gently stroking a petal of one of those, "What do they mean?"

"They mean 'sunshine in your smile'. I didn't find any for birthdays, so I thought they suited you the best." She replied. Tsubaki saw another bouquet kept beside her feet. "And those are for?"

"Azusa-san. You must be aware that it's his birthday too, right?" She jokingly asked. Tsubaki felt a sudden pull in his chest. He couldn't tell what happened or how it happened, but he felt... _jealousy?_ Yes, jealousy towards his other half. Will she hug him this way too? – He thought.

Sabrina waved her hands in front of his face, and he was brought back to reality. "Earth to. Wanna accompany me to wish him?"

"No, I'll do it myself." He distractedly said, showing her a fake smile to hide the turmoil erupting inside him.

"Okay. And best wishes again!" She wished, as she moved to Azusa's door, and he shut his. What the hell was he thinking? He leaned on the door with his back, the bouquet still in his hands. How could he ever be jealous of his own twin? That was stupid. All what was happening was stupid. He was being stupid.

"Argh!" He let out a low growl and tossed the bouquet on his table, frustrated with himself.

Sabrina knocked on Azusa's door, and unlike his twin, he opened the door faster. And just like she did to Tsubaki, she jumped to hug him. He blushed crimson. "Happy Birthday!"

"Thank you." He said, pulling away. She noticed that he wasn't wearing his spectacles, but gave him his bouquet anyway. It was again a collection of yellow tulips. "And that's for you," She said, handing him his gift.

"They are beautiful. Thanks again." Azusa said, smiling. He knew the meaning of the flowers and loved how thoughtful she was.

"You're most welcome! By the way, are you and Tsubaki free this evening? We three and Natsume-san can go for a dinner?" She asked him. He wanted to readily agree, but unfortunately, he and his brother had plans already.

"I'm so sorry, but we have to go for a party at our company tonight. It was especially planned for our birthday plus the new year." He reluctantly replied.

"Oh, I see..." Sabina said. "Then, hope you enjoy the day!" She smiled and turned to go. Before actually going, she looked at him and spoke, "You really look good without spectacles." And smiled, and went off.

The start of the day couldn't have been better for Azusa. He shut his door, and leaned his back on the door, similar to Tsubaki's situation at the moment; the only difference being their emotions. Azusa ran fingers through his hair, closing his eyes and mesmerizing those last moments. What had happened to him? He didn't know, and nobody else did too.

 _-Why is it that one is glad and the other feels guilty?  
-It's called love, my dear. And it is just the beginning. _

O~O~O

At the time of the last dusk of the year, when the sun was dipping in the sky, Natsume walked into a lavish restaurant. Even the simple main wooden door had been furnished enough to look like it was made out of some metal. He pushed it open, and found Sabrina waving from her seat near the wall on the left side. He walked over to her. She stood up, and for the third time that day, she embraced another brother. His reaction was quite similar to Azusa's – a red shade crawled up his face, specifically since they were in public. "Happy Birthday!" She chirped, and he returned the hug by putting an arm around her waist. "Thanks..." He whispered in her ear, still a bit shy. He could hear whispers from the nearby group of girls, "Are they a couple?" "He's so hot! Why do they have to be an item!" And more murmurs.

She pulled away, and gifted him his bouquet of tulips. "Couldn't get a better gift, actually. I'm just a broke teenager." She joked as he took the bouquet, and both of them chuckled.

"Thanks. I appreciate that." He saw that she was still wearing the scarf he gave her, and smiled seeing that. He looked at the table, and noticed that there was only a glass of water kept on it. "You haven't ordered anything?" He implored, keeping the flowers aside.

"No, I was waiting for you. You didn't have a party to attend?" She asked.

"Not at all. Forgot to mention that on the call." He lied; he had cancelled his plan to go to the office party to meet her. Why? He intentionally didn't want to admit that he just wanted to _see_ her. After a few minutes of thinking, he came up with the reason to 'thank her for the Christmas present'.

"Hmm. Tsubaki and Azusa had to go to their New Year party at their company. That's why they couldn't accompany us." She told him, and he nodded. He was thankful that she wasn't aware that the party was in the same office, and that his twins weren't with them to interrupt them.

His phone beeped several times, indicating that he had many incoming mails. "I'm sorry, I'll just shut it." He picked up his phone to put it on silent, and right at that moment, he received a call from Azusa. "Hey," He answered.

"Have you seen Tsubaki?" Azusa hurriedly spoke.

"Tsubaki? No. What happ- What was that?" Natsume said, seeing that Azusa had immediately hung up on him.

"What's wrong?" She asked, and he replied, "No idea. Azusa called and asked if I had seen Tsubaki. When I refused, he suddenly hung up."

"Weren't they supposed to be in the party now?"

"Yes, but... I think..." He checked his phone for the mails, and one of them said that he had to sign a contract about the games with the lead actor 'Asahina Azusa'.

"Looks like the role Tsubaki wanted has been offered to Azusa." He sighed, and she exclaimed, "That's terrible! How's Tsubaki?"

"As far as I know him, whenever he's sad, he runs off somewhere and returns soon. He has been doing that for years now."

"Shouldn't we help Azusa find them?" She asked. This was exactly what he didn't want – their dinner to be disrupted by the twins.

"Let both of them solve it." He tried to bring back the train on the track.

"Right..." Sabrina said. She knew how excited Tsubaki was for the auditions, and how disheartened he must be because of the results. "Tsubaki badly wanted the role, and Azusa got it. It could create a misunderstanding; they are brothers, after all. Plus, how could Azusa get the role when he wasn't even auditioning for that character?"

"That happens frequently here. I won't say that I'm entirely unsympathetic, but if Azusa if chosen, then it's his job to take up the role as a professional, and reach up to the fans' and the makers' expectations." He explained.

"Right. "

"And making a young teenage sister worry about her brothers' problems isn't something manly. Don't worry; they will sort it out." He said, saving the situation.

"I'm sure they will. They're really close, and this mustn't affect their relationship." She said, staring at the glass of water on the table. "Hungry yet?" He asked her.

"A little bit."

"Let's order then. Take whatever you want."

"No, I was the one who invited you, and hence, I'll be the one to pay. You order – we'll have your choice tonight." She said, grinning.

"I do appreciate that." He said, curving his lips up in a smile. They ordered ramen and coffee to go with. While they waited for their food, Natsume used his 'reason', "Thanks for the headphones. They are very good."

"Headphones? I don't know what you're talking about." She averted her eyes, pretending to be ignorant. However, she was happy that he liked them.

"I believe there aren't many Santa Claus with 'no plans'." He chuckled.

"Damn! Shouldn't have written that!" She exclaimed, and they both laughed. A few minutes later, the waiter came with their dishes. Sabrina took a bite and moaned in wonder, "This is delicious. Need to learn how they make such a simple dish so exotic."

"You already make good food."

"With Ukyo's help." She stopped eating and thought for a moment, and declared, "Since you are the witness, I announce that very soon, I'll make ramen better than the one here, and you'll be the first one to taste them."

"As you say, Your Highness. Lucky me." And they laughed.

O~O~O

"Hey, watcha doing here alone?" Azusa looked at her as she walked towards him in the front stairs of the house, after Natsume had dropped her home. It was already late; only thirty minutes were left for the New Year to begin.

"Nothing at all. Couldn't relax in the room so thought of coming here for fresh air." He distractedly said, looking at the illuminated corridor of the house.

"You didn't attend the party?" She inquired, though, she knew the truth. She just wanted to see how much he would lie.

"No. I was feeling... nauseous." He said, and she folded her arms, and said, "No need to lie. I know everything, man."

Azusa snapped his head at her, narrowing his eyes, "What do you know?" He asked, his tone changing to that of an angry one.

"I know what we ate for dinner last night, what we wore yesterday, and that you got the role Tsubaki was supposed to get." She lowered her voice at the last part. Azusa still heard her, and responded with a sharp, "Who told you that?"

"That isn't important. We know that you are leaving the offer, right?" She asked, and he replied, "Yes, I am, for Tsubaki."

"Don't do that. You need to take up the role." She stated.

Azusa folded his arms and looked at her, trying to hide the annoyance. "Why would I do that?"

"Because I said so." She hurriedly spoke, then breathed, and said, "Look, your voice is wonderful. I know that I know nothing about voice acting, but yes, I can say that you connect well with the audience. I really, really like your voice. Also, the makers' aren't naïve, are they? Now let's get you inside before you catch a cold." She started walking towards the door.

Her words affected him, but in that state of mind, he could only believe them to be sugar-coated. He didn't move an inch from where he was standing. She turned to look at him, saying him nothing, but pleading with her eyes.

All he could think was about Tsubaki. He was under unbelievable pressure – to go with what she and the makers' said, or gift his brother his dream role. Out of pressure, he rolled his eyes, and snapped, "Enough! This is stupid!"

She stood there with a poker face, and said, "Enough of what? Being positive? Seeking the positivity of the situation?"

He couldn't understand how she could take the situation so lightly. "Why do you play with your life so much?" Azusa asked, fed up of her childish nature, like Tsubaki. He couldn't understand how she could take the situation so lightly. Annoyance was noticeable in his tone of speaking.

"Because it's my favorite game!" She replied with hints of excitement in her voice, not affected by his snappy tone, "We've got only one life, man! Let's live it to the fullest!" She walked to him with a bright smile, and said, "We, anyway, aren't discussing about my life now. Your problem can easily be solved. Just take up the role."

"Why should I? It's Tsubaki's dream role. I can't." He reasoned.

"But would he be happy when he gets a second hand role sacrificed by his brother? No, he wouldn't."

"She's right." From the darkness, Tsubaki came up walking to them. Both of them looked at him, startled by his sudden appearance. The white-haired man said, "Aw man, can you believe that I wasted so much time on thinking how to get you to do the role? And here, this little lady stole my thunder."

He gripped Azusa's shoulders, "Now listen to me. You're taking up the role for me. Man, I don't want anyone else to do it. You know that I'm your number one fan, yeah? I want to see you do the role. I want to hear the character in your voice. Will you do that for me?"

Azusa looked at the ground, and looked at Tsubaki again, "Oh, jeez! I will. I'll do my best and make you proud." They embraced each other, and Tsubaki chuckled, "Ha, as if I'll let you get away with a half-hearted performance." They pulled away, and Tsubaki ordered, "Go, call the manager before it's too late."

"Yes, I will. Thanks, man." Then he looked at Sabrina and apologized, "I'm sorry for snapping at you back then."

"It's okay." She playfully winked. After Azusa had gone inside to make the call, Tsubaki turned to Sabrina and said, "Hey you, free to go for a walk with me?"

"Of course." She agreed.

They walked to a nearby empty park. The atmosphere was eerily quiet. It was dimly lit by streetlamps, and Tsubaki stood near the fence of the little lake it contained. He looked up to the stars and began, "To be honest, I'm kinda disappointed. I mean, who wouldn't be? I was the one who first wanted to become a voice actor, and I was the one who dragged Azusa into it. Somewhere along the way, he surpassed me. It has always been like that between the two of us. Azusa excels at everything. He's always better than me, no matter what we do. We're from supposedly the same egg, then how is this possible?" Sabrina came up to him and squeezed his shoulder. It hurt to see such a cheerful man sound so disappointed.

He continued, "I guess Azusa was the only one for the role, not me." His shoulders had started shaking. "No." She said, gripping his other shoulder to face him, "Don't say like that. You're amazing, just the way you are! There's no point of comparing. I mean, come on, smile, it saddens me to see you so disheartened."

She dusted his shoulders and looked straight into his eyes, and he grew weak at his knees. It was like she was working magic on him, and he couldn't help but smile, and forget all what had happened in the day. She smiled wider, seeing that he was out of his misery, and he could only keep looking at her face, illuminated by the dull streetlight. Her eyes were bright with glee, perhaps transferring some of her happy-energy into him, and his gaze kept travelling down her features – and stopped at her lips. Full, pink lips, curved up in a grin. Each part of her was carefully made, but how tempting was she, shaded by a light blush from the winter air, her hair down, and her gorgeous brown eyes looking right into his violet ones, staring down at his soul.

He subconsciously stepped forward, dangerously close to her, but stopped himself before leaning in and tasting her lips. No, his thoughts were downright incest, he thought, how could a stepbrother kiss a sister? But there was a devil in her smile, calling out to him, driving him crazy. He, however, composed himself, to stand straight – and probably lean out a bit, just in case – and tried to develop a control on himself. 'She's your sister, dammit! You can't do that!' – he kept repeating it to himself in his head.

"About what you said earlier to Azusa," He asked, "Do you like me? I mean, my voice?"

"Obviously, obviously I do." She consoled him, "yours and Azusa-san's voice compliments each other. There may be some roles that would be meant for him, but your voice can also enhance any simple role. There are roles meant only for you. I may not be an ex-" She was never able to complete her sentence as she was interrupted by a sudden kiss from Tsubaki, who couldn't control himself more than he already did. Her eyes remained open in shock – this was her first. She didn't expect it to be this sudden, especially by him. He pulled away, and she blushed, looking down. Even the cold weather had the effect on making her blush, but she was totally red.

"Sorry for that. It's just that a depressed boy needs a kiss from a cute girl to get back on his feet." He covered up his intentions, and she didn't respond. This time, he put an arm around her waist to pull her close, put the other arm on her back, and bent down to kiss her. This time, she closed her eyes, and went with the flow.

According to her, she was doing this for her brother to get back into his cheerful, happy mode. She thought of just sucking it up and giving a kiss – now officially her second one. She kissed him back, and it lasted for a few seconds, before they were interrupted by the sound of the city clock humming. It was the New Year.

The sky was lightened up with crackers, and Tsubaki smiled down at her, and huskily whispered, "Happy New Year."

 _-Brother against brother for none other than the sister; the Brothers Conflict has now begun._

* * *

 **OOOOH MYYYY GAAAWD I HAD TO REWRITE THIS THRICE. Once – the original one, Second time – when I face the famous Delhi power cut and the autosaved version automatically vanished. Third time – when I by mistake clicked on 'no' for 'do you want to save changes to your document?' So, you're reading the fourth draft, written late at night. *yawns* *yawns again* *yawns yet again***

 **[NOTE FROM THE FUTURE SELF: I just edited this chapter and I was again fangirling! To make it even better for ya, I added those long paragraphs, being an insight into Tsubaki's mind, just to make it hotter. BUT OH GOD WOWWWWWW LOVE THIS SHIP!]**

 **AAANDDD I WROTE MY FIRST KISS SCENE! AAAHHH *fangirling* MY FAV SHIP TSUBAKI AND SABRINA! Tell me if you liked the scene or not.**

 **And the italics things with dashes in the beginning? Consider it the author, or wait, some Q/A, or the angels from heaven telling you that. I just felt like adding some dramatic (or Shakespearean?) touch to it.**

 **Like you saw, Sabrina had a completely different way of dealing with Azusa. And in this version, Azusa was also changed a bit. Plus, the thoughts of Tsubaki before kissing her out of the blues. Well, now you know that it wasn't 'out of the blues'!**

 **Review! And follow and fav if you like!**

 **(Hence, we end with the longest chapter ever)**

 **At your service,  
Diamond Shyn **


	22. Chapter 22: Bonus

**Red Diamond**

 **I see how you guys liked the last chapter. Even I liked it, though, it was shorter that my first two drafts...**

 **And because the last chapter was long, I decided to post a Bonus chapter to resemble a bit with the anime. Maybe most of you haven't seen the bonus parts that come after the ending song in each episode... they are the funniest!**

 **So, here we are, back in the night of her first kiss (love the pair!)**

 **Disclaimer: Oh you know... No BC but OCs.**

* * *

Chapter 22: Bonus

Narrator's POV

"Happy New Year," Sabrina greeted him, now looking at him, though she hadn't completely recovered from the 'surprise'. She was uncharacteristically shy, and the heavy blush on her face was a proof. Tsubaki cupped her face, and said, "Thanks for being with me now."

"No problem, I'll always be here." She smiled at him. His gaze went down to her scarf. With a slight frown, he bent down to her and whispered in her ear, "By the way, I really like your dressing style, but that's a men's wear. It has been bugging me for a while." They pulled away and locked eyes. She wondered how the topic changed so easily.

"It's a lot like my taste. I don't know but, it just pisses me off." He said, frowning.

"Natsume-san gifted this to me." She said, holding one end of the fabric.

Tsubaki narrowed his eyes at it, "Guess we should exchange for a while, if you don't mind. I'm feeling a bit cold." He lied, he didn't know why. He couldn't stand the clothing on her neck; he just felt the urge to remove it. Especially that he knew whom it belonged to.

"Sure." She said, taking it off her neck. Tsubaki took off his blue-colored one and wrapped it around her neck. "Comfortable with it?" He asked her, and she nodded. He took Natsume's scarf from her hands and wore it.

He's already making moves on her, he thought, looking at Sabrina, who was admiring the cracker-filled, colorful sky above them. "Shouldn't we go back home? Everyone must be waiting for us." She suggested, and he shrugged, "Yeah."

Hiding in the midst of dark, shadowy bushes was Hikaru, looking at the duo with his hands folded and a smile plastered on his face. Perhaps he had been standing there the whole time.

"My, my, look at the naughty children, shamelessly intimate." He paused, and continued, "I wonder who'll be the one to get the last laugh." And he smirked.

* * *

 **PRETTY SHORT. But that was what I wanted. The next chapter will be up very soon! Keep reading, and follow and fav if you like!**

 **Yours Truly (*exclaims like Superwoman* what an Ayato reference!)  
Diamond Shyn **


	23. Chapter 23: Princess With Many Princes

**Red Diamond**

 **An early update – chapter 23 is here! Maybe this is the last update for the next two weeks... :(**

 **Sorry, I'll be having my exams staring from the next week, thankfully not on alternate days but at the gap of three days, so I can get an hour to write. About this chapter, it'll be having some humor too, but a lot of romance – just to make things clear for the future chapters.**

 **Please don't mind the kind-of-cheesy name of the chapter. It had to be like that. And, yeah, that's it. Hope you enjoy!**

 **Plus, thank you** **AnaJuarez** **and** **Houda708** **for adding this story to your favorites! (I'm not sure if it's just you guys... I'm not getting any info on Gmail and when I open the site, I'm kinda surprised to see a new number in the favs list) And for the reviews too, guys!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Brothers Conflict, but my OCs as well as the plot.**

* * *

Chapter 23: Princess With Many Princes

Sabrina's POV

 _What the hell!_ "Okay calm down!"

 _That's inacceptable!_

"Wait up!"

 _That was a KISS!_ There I was, on the first morning of the year, trying to handle my freaked out mini-me. It was scolding me, going into hysterics about the kiss. It vanished from my mind, or probably kept completely quiet last night during the scene, and now, it was scolding me for giving into the kiss.

"Chill! I just did that for Tsubaki's sake. He had to be brought back to his cheerful self. I was just being a good sister." I said, and sat on my bed with my arms folded; listening to all the shit it had to say. Yet, I found myself reflecting on that thought: Was I being a good 'sister'?

 _Still, why didn't you push him away?_

 _Or use Akshay Kumar's punch? Or Tiger Shroff's high kick to break his face?_ I listened to it with arched eyebrows and sighed, pitying my own self.

 _By the way, you've definitely got a good taste in men._ "Wait, what? Where did that come from?" I said, standing up, genuinely surprised, "For heaven's sake he's my brother! And where were you last night? Hey? Hello there?" It had vanished again, and that frustrated me. "Answer me!"

I picked up a baseball bat with both my hands and shouted at _myself_ , "I'll break my face with a swing from it if you don't answer me!"

No response.

"Goodbye then, Sabrina." I lifted it, and with full force-

"Stop!" I heard my door slam open and Masaomi came rushing in, and saw me in such a condition. The bat was right above my head, held by none other than me. We were just looking at each other for a second or two, after which I just burst out fake-laughing and said, "I was j-just, um, playing baseball!"

I swung it and said, "Nice shot, huh?" I smiled nervously. He heaved a sigh of relief and came chuckling next to me, "No need to fake it up. Why were you trying to attempt suicide on the first day of the year?"

 _There we go..._ Thankfully, my mini-me had returned before I could kill myself by mistake, and I really didn't know what to tell Masaomi. While he waited patiently for an answer, I forced my mind to run at a speed of seven-eighty kilometres per hour and think of some idea. Of course, I couldn't tell him that 'Yeah, last night Tsubaki was depressed, so we kissed twice to cheer him up.'

"I cannot decide what to wear for the day." Came the reply from me. _Wow._

"And you were going to kill yourself for that?" He asked, placing his hands on his hips and looking at me. _There we go again..._

"Oh, uh, yes, these are the typical girl problems I'm suffering from right now. Plus, I'm kind of sad that I don't have the ability to even decide this much so I was going to reboot my brain with the bat so that I could think well and get into the work mode, since I have my exams coming up, and I won't be writing about the dresses I have to wear, or the shoes in my garage..." I rambled on and on, and he listened skeptically with full attention. I stopped for a breath, since I was going a bit too fast, and he laughed, and said, "Neither do we reboot our brain with a baseball bat, nor do we keep our shoes in the garage."

I thought about it for a moment and then said, "Yeah, that's a... smart answer." He looked at me questioningly for a second and then said, "What's wrong?"

"I... didn't sleep well." I admitted, and that was the truth; the whole night I was thinking if I was innocent anymore or not – doing what we call over-thinking.

"You should probably rest for a while, since mom will be reaching here in a couple of hours, and then take you for shopping."

"Shopping? Miwa ma'am?" I asked with wide eyes.

"I don't know – she just told me to inform you, and when I came near you room, I heard shouts, and the second I heard that you were gonna take a blow from the bat, I came rushing in. Sorry for the sudden entry, though."

No no, it's alright. Thank God you were there, otherwise I would've defiantly 'rebooted' my brain." We laughed.

"Do you know the reason she's taking me shopping all of a sudden?" I asked him, and he shrugged, "Not really. She loves giving surprises. I guess it's one."

"Mmm." I said and nodded.

O~O~O

I was getting bored in my room, so I decided to go to the fifth floor to sit with the rest of the family. Upon entering the hall, I found Yuusuke, the twins, Louis, Subaru, Ukyo, and Masaomi there. The eldest was the first one to notice me, and said, "Feeling better?" The rest of the people turned to look at me, and I replied Masaomi, "Yes, much better."

I walked down to the kitchen, and I could feel someone gaze on me all the time. From the corner of my eye, I found out that it was Tsubaki staring at me. _So he still hasn't gotten over last night?_

"Hello, Ukyo-san. Need any help?" I approached Ukyo and asked.

"Not at all. This is done anyway." He said, stirring soup in the large bowl placed on the gas burner. I exited the kitchen, and sat beside Yuusuke, saying, "Yo, guys!"

"Hey." Yuusuke replied, and Tsubaki said, "Have you heard that mom's coming over?"

And the moment he said that, the elevator opened to reveal the woman we were talking about. "Hi boys, and Sabrina!" She cheerfully said, holding the doorjamb and proceeding to come downstairs. The males muttered their 'hello's, and she approached me and enveloped me into a bear hug. "Sorry, couldn't come sooner! Happy New Year!" She said, and I replied, "Happy New Year!"

She pulled away and exclaimed looking at everyone around, "Guess what? We have a New Year party tonight!" Subaru, who was having a glass of water, choked and spit it out. She looked at him and the faces of the others and me, standing dumbstruck. "What? Did I say anything wrong?" She said, taking a glance at everyone present.

Apparently, Tsubaki was the first one to react. He exclaimed, "Really? Tonight?"

"Yes, and it has another reason too. It's Sabrina's welcome party. I couldn't do it sooner, since I had a lot of work on my plate." She replied, and I was surprised. _For you?_

"For... me, Miwa ma'am?" I asked her, blinking twice.

She put on a fake frown and said, "Not ma'am, it's 'mom'."

Mom. _Ma._ That word brought back a lot of memories of my mother – her wavy, raven hair, her glowing face, her sweet voice. I was lost for a millisecond, before smiling and saying, "Yes, mom." She smiled at me, cupping my face, "That's much better. And the party is for you."

"I don't think that I deserve so much." I said, looking at my feet, and then back at her. "Don't say that." She said, "You really do."

"Thanks." I smiled, placing my hand on her hand with which she had cupped my face.

O~O~O

"No, doesn't look nice." Miwa ma'am said, sitting on a chair, rejecting another dress. I went back into the trial room to undress and try the fiftieth dress I had worn that day, green in color, backless, with cold shoulders. I tried it and stepped out of the little chamber to see Miwa ma'am sitting on the chair right in front of it, drinking water from a bottle. She placed the bottle on the counter next to her and folded her arms, crinkling her nose. "Shows too much skin. Plus, its color is dull." She commented, and I nodded before stepping back inside to change into another one.

This one was black in color, reaching to the ground, having no sleeves or straps to it, quite puffy near the end. It had a wide white-colored, bow-shaped belt to it, after which the puffiness started. It had a bit deep back, but it was beautiful.

I felt comfortable wearing it and shifted the curtains and showed Miwa ma'am the dress. She smiled and said, "That's what I was looking for!"

The employees rejoiced; we had been there in the store for almost four hours and had chosen nothing. They had been dragging themselves to search for dresses for me (I had heard that one of them fainted while doing so), and finally we had landed on a choice. I felt bad for them, but at last, the hunt was over.

I changed back into my own jeans and t-shirt, and Miwa ma'am took me to the footwear's showroom, where we spent about thirty minutes to get the right pair of matt-black stilettos.

We walked out of the mall with shopping bags, and took a taxi to the banquet where the party was supposed to be. "Why straightaway to the banquet?" I asked her as the car started.

"It has rooms to get ready, and travelling wearing that dress would be fussy." She replied, and I nodded in understanding.

We reached the banquet, and from the outside, it looked like it was a palace. The trees beside the red carpet rolled on were perfectly trimmed, and the place was so clean that it seemed like it hadn't been inhibited before. We walked on the red carpet, feeling noble, and entered the hall.

Let me not exaggerate it by saying that it was _magnificent_! The bright huge chandelier in the center of the hall gave it a royal vibe, as did the golden tables and chairs that were being set by the workers. It was huge – huge enough to clean it and fall asleep forever. The marble floors shined; it looked so fancy.

"It's amazing!" I exclaimed to my companion, and she commented, "They've done a pretty good job!"

In the center was a big staircase leading to the rooms, I believed. It definitely seemed like a palace, now that it had rooms as well. Miwa ma'am pointed out to the room at the top, at the corner of the chain, "That's where you'll get ready."

I was excited for the party to begin. I climbed the stairs, and entered the room. It was highly furnished; just as they do for the bride who gets ready for her marriage. There was a colossal pink colored bed in the middle with curtains hung on the bed frame; a massive dressing table standing near the entrance with numerous cosmetics, and an old style almirah. Ventilated enough with the windows on the wall next to the bed, it seemed just perfect for the evening I was to have.

"This is perfect." I said, touching the bed frame, moving aside the curtains a bit. I threw myself on the bed, tired from the trials of dresses I had been through. I heard the door open and someone walk in, and then I heard Louis' voice, "How is it going, Sabrina-chan?"

I lifted my head off from the bed, and gave him a thumbs up. He smiled and said, "I'll be your stylist for tonight."

I got off the bed and said, "Thank you! I was looking forward to this!" I really wanted him to style my hair for I was very comfortable with him.

O~O~O

Narrator's POV

"Damn! This isn't me!" Sabrina breathed out, looking at herself in the mirror. She couldn't believe that it was her reflection she saw on the mirror. She looked so poised, so pretty. The gown really suited her, and Louis enhanced her overall look with his perfect sense of style. A lock of hair from the front side were taken and braided, and those two were brought together at the back. The ends of her hair were curled, and for the final touches, he put a cute little silver tiara on her head.

The makeup was kept minimal to show her true features. Light blush, light red lipstick and minimum black makeup on eyes made her an absolute fairy. "You look very good, Sabrina-chan." He said, holding her shoulders. She stood up and hugged him, "Thank you so much for this! You transformed me!"

"You were always pretty. It made my work easier." Louis said, returning the hug. After a moment when Louis had to go to get ready himself, Sabrina sat on the bed, thinking what else to do. She took a lot of selfies to pass some time, and then looked out of the window to see if anyone was there yet.

There were posh-looking guests stepping inside the building, and she could see a lot of expensive cars going down the lane. She almost laughed when she saw a 'Subaru'.

Thinking better, she realized that Subaru was ignoring her. Not ignoring directly to be exact; the better word must be avoiding. He wasn't rude to her, but hadn't even talked to her properly after the game last month. He was trying to blend himself in the background whenever she was there, and that didn't go unnoticed by her.

"I need to talk to him. He even had to ask me something." She mumbled while looking at the lighted road. A minute later, she saw a couple of cars stop by, and from them came her brothers (excluding Hikaru, Natsume and Fuuto). "They're here!" She exclaimed. She wanted to talk to someone – oh someone! These guys were the best choice. As they walked towards the entrance, all wearing black suits, she was hoping to catch a glimpse. She saw Yuusuke looking around him, and was sure that he would look her way at least once. He almost did, but before she could wave, Miwa knocked on her door. She stepped away from the window and opened the door to her step-mother, dressed in a golden-colored mermaid-style dress, hugging her curves. She went with silver jewelry to pair it up, and shiny silver heels.

"Gosh, you look wonderful!" Sabrina exclaimed, and in return, Miwa complimented, "Thanks! You confirmed me that you really are an angel! Have you seen yourself!?"

"Thank you..." Sabrina said, keeping her hand on another one of hers.

"C'mon, we'll be going down in a few minutes."

Meanwhile, Yuusuke was still staring at the window. He thought he had a glimpse of Sabrina from up there and had stopped where he was that instant. Just a look of someone who had the same face cut was all he had seen. But whoever she was (he wasn't so sure that it was Sabrina; otherwise, she would've been waving at him right now), she was too beautiful, he thought.

Noticing that Yuusuke had stopped somewhere behind, Masaomi turned and called out to Yuusuke, "Yuusuke! Why did you stop?"

"Umm..." Yuusuke just didn't answer, and Tsubaki gave out a free comment, "Saw a ghost there? I'm pretty sure you're scared of those too." Yuusuke stomped his way to the white-haired male and yelled at him, "I'm not! Shut up!"

"Well, well, let's not create a scene here." Masaomi said, giving Yuusuke the sign to stop. The entered the _grande_ hall to find innumerable guests scattered all over the place.

"Damn! Does mom even know these many people?" Yuusuke shrieked at the count. However, they still couldn't find Sabrina – the person they had waited to see the most. Ever since she left with Miwa, they had become impatient for the night to begin. Miwa was creating such suspense in them by saying: "Your sister's going to look like a beauty queen!"

Masaomi received a call from Miwa to come up to the corner room on the top. He reached the room, and it opened to such a beauty that he couldn't help but gaze open-mouthed at her. "Oh... hi. You look... amazing..." He fumbled with his words as she stepped towards him. Miwa, from the back, said, "As you are the eldest, I want you to escort her down the stairs." With that, she showed one of her toothy smiles and exited the room.

"You look handsome." She commented, and he shyly replied, "Thanks. Ready to go?" He offered her his arm, and she gladly engaged her with his. "Let's roll, then!"

As both of them walked from the corridor to the beginning of the stairs, the Asahina males saw her, and ah... Each of them couldn't keep their eyes off her. With her mesmerizing looks, she had struck a chord in each of their hearts. They were suddenly envious of Masaomi escorting her to the hall.

Miwa clapped to get the guests' attention, "Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you all, my beautiful daughter Sabrina." Sabrina walked down the stairs with Masaomi's arm in hers. She felt like Cinderella – a bit formal, though. She spotted her brothers at a small distance, and gave them a charming smile. She bowed towards the guests, the dance postures and movies helping her to get the right pose.

The guests clapped and showed kind smiles as she and Masaomi went by, introducing her to little groups of people in the most sophisticated manner possible. When the formality meetings were done, they went to the rest of the brothers, still arm in arm.

"Hey guys!" She said cheerfully.

"Oh God, you look like an angel!" Tsubaki reasoned to embrace her. She returned the embrace with a 'Thank you so much!'

"He's right; you look gorgeous." Azusa said, secretly glaring at Tsubaki for hugging her like that. After the incident last day, he had come to respect her more, since he got to know that she wasn't just the puerile, fun-loving girl, but also mature and intelligent. She had saved the twins' relation.

"Thank you! And you guys look handsome as well." She said.

"But I agree with them, you're stunning." Iori commented.

"Onne-chan's like a fairy from a fairytale!" Wataru exclaimed.

"This outfit really suits you. You look very good." Ukyo stated.

"Let me save my imouto-chan from being stolen tonight." Kaname said and kissed her knuckles.

"Thank you!" She said, feeling light the light blush on her face, keeping a hand above the other one in front of her. She wasn't used to so many compliments all together. It made her feel even more self-conscious and shy, but she still loved the royal feeling the place exhibited.

Only Yuusuke and Subaru remained quiet. Yuusuke was in no condition to say anything except to just control himself from blushing like crazy. However, the red line was still visible. On the other hand, Subaru found it so hard to keep quiet. She was so alluring, but if he ever talked to her, then he would end up confessing his feelings for her, and he didn't want that. They were step-siblings; how could he just ask her if she would like to go out with him? Plus, he wasn't so brave in the matters of the heart. He would make it too awkward. But how long would he keep it inside himself?

"Nice." Subaru said and went to the drinks. Yuusuke looked in his direction and said out aloud, "What's up with him? He barely shows his face now."

"I wonder." Sabrina said, unhooking her arm from Masaomi's. "Shouldn't we talk to him?"

"No need. Must be some sorta pressure in his game. Nothing else, I'm sure." Tsubaki suggested, rolling his eyes at him. Behind him, Wataru cried, "I'm hungry! Shall we go and eat?"

Yes, that's the most important thing in a party, Sabrina thought. Still, she made a mental not of not acting like a hobo that night. Wataru went to the tables with food and filled his plate with desserts. Yuusuke too, accompanied them, since he was also hungry, and otherwise too, didn't want to leave her side.

Sabrina went through the food, slowly, not intending to not show everyone that she was a hungry beast. But when she saw a little cake that included coffee in it... let's just say that in the name of humanity, she kept a small piece for the rest of the people to share. Sharing is caring, you know?

"Are you sure you'll be able to eat all of that?" Yuusuke asked, uncertain if a girl with such a figure would be able to eat all of that alone.

"Yes, dare me." She said as they occupied a table.

(A. Few. Moments. Later.)

"You've already finished? That's insane!" Yuusuke exclaimed. He had barely finished half of his meal, while Sabrina's plate was as clean as a new one.

"You still don't know how insane I am. Wanna know some stories?" She said, leaning in on the table, having that I-am-gonna-tell-you-the-greatest-story-of-all-time expression. Honestly, she couldn't eat anything more. She was full, yet pretended to be not affected by the amount at all. Yuusuke nodded and had a bite. While she began talking, the twins and Iori occupied the vacant seats on the same table.

"Hmm, so let's start. When I was around... thirteen, I guess, I put my right hand on burning coal while talking to someone on phone. My hand was three times thicker than it was supposed to be." The others widened their eyes a bit, commenting, "Really?" and "That must've hurt a lot." Tsubaki held her right hand and examined it (again to the rests' annoyance), and said, "It's kinda normal. But what's with that shape of your middle finger?" He said, pointing to the top of her middle finger, which was unusually wide from the nail.

"This? You've seen it carefully, for most people don't find the difference. When I was about, you know, four or five, I put this finger in the middle of a car's door that was about to close. I basically lost this finger, but yeah, I'm lucky. I just did this to see how much it hurts." She said with a poker face, while the rest were left speechless.

"You did this to see _how much it hurts_?" Iori said, horrified.

"Yeah, and a lot other things too, like playing with scissors and cutting my hand with it, or burning my hand with the steam press. Relax, I was a kid!" She replied, and took a look at her brothers' faces. Priceless, again.

"Are you a masochist?" Azusa asked.

"How did you get these ideas?" Tsubaki cried.

She jokingly replied, "Another event behind it. You see, I was this one year old, and due to some ritual or what, children of such age get their heads shaved. So, I was freshly bald that day, and my parents took me to some park with these curved grills on a low wall in the corner of it. My parents coincidentally found some of their friends, and I was _by mistake_ ignored. So, I went near these grills, and curious to what the other side had, I inserted my head in those and got stuck over there. And, you know, one year olds can't speak so I just cried till my father came and got me out of it. Maybe that has some kind of impact in there?" She pointed to her head. The guys around her were left dumbstruck. What else could they probably say? That must've been, err, painful!

That event was true, no doubts, but maybe her mini-me was behind it all, telling her to attempt the craziness? She couldn't blame anyone. She simply looked at their faces while they stared at her, their mouth slightly open in wonder.

"I'm so sorry for being late!" Natsume appeared behind her, and his breath was caught in his throat when she turned to see him and say, "Pretty early, huh?"

He replied after a brief moment, "Uh, um, sorry. Just had a lot of work." He inwardly cursed himself for not coming there early to see her before his brothers could cast an eye on her. She grinned and said, It's okay. Glad you're here." He held her hand and said, "I must say that you look heavenly."

The twins could only be pissed – their triplet was shamelessly openly flirting. Wasn't he a natural at stuff like that?

"Thanks. You too, handsome." She said, grinning at him, locking eyes. Just then, the slow-beat music started, meant for couple dances. She looked at the stage as many couples began grooving to the tune, holding hands.

"Too bad, it isn't for hip-hop dancers like you." Azusa said, and she turned to face him. She smirked and replied, "Did I ever tell you that I do couple-dances as well?"

He took her by her other hand to the dance floor, as Natsume's hand separated with hers. He just looked at them, while they made their way to the center stage. Meanwhile, Yuusuke fumed with anger, going to join Subaru, mumbling how his brothers had again ruined his moments with her. Natsume then went to meet some other guests to not act retarded like Yuusuke. Iori only saw his brothers' weird reactions, sitting at the table previously filled with them, having a sip of his drink.

Azusa and Sabrina stepped up on the stage, and he held both of her hands, and gently pulled her close to himself. They swayed their bodies to the beats, and somewhere in between, Azusa said, "I'm so sorry for snapping at you yesterday. I didn't mean any of that which I told you earlier."

"You've said that before too, no need to apologize, Azusa-san. I understand that you were under enough pressure, and although I can't share the experience, I can understand that it must've been hard for you." She said, looking at him.

"It was, indeed, and things could've gotten uglier if you weren't there."

"Me? No way!" She denied.

"No, we are at peace only because of you. I would've turned down such an offer, and on top of it all, I would've hurt Tsubaki's feelings. Thanks for helping us, Sabrina."

"If you say so. All what I said last night was too deep, I guess. Sure it had some meaning to it." She joked, and both of them laughed.

From a distance, Tsubaki saw both of them close to each other, laughing. He didn't know why, but it made him so angry, so jealous. Why was _Azusa_ holding her? Why wasn't _he_ the one? He walked towards the couple, angrily. He gently pushed aside the people blocking his way.

"Well, this is probably the first time we're talking at ease without my shadow lingering around." Azusa admitted, and right at that second, Tsubaki appeared beside them and said, faking his cheerful smile, "Call for the devil and here he comes."

"Oh, Tsubaki." Azusa said, baffled. Tsubaki's lips were still twitching. "May I borrow this angel?" He asked – more like commanded – as he took her hands apart from Azusa's and carried her to another corner of the stage before Azusa could react in his defense. It all happened too quickly for Sabrina, and while Tsubaki took her by her hand to some other place, she looked back at Azusa, who had his fists in balls, teeth clenched.

Iori, still sitting on their earlier spot, put his drink down, and mumbled, looking at the scene before him, "This isn't nice." He knew something was up.

When the white-haired man knew that he was far from Azusa's sight, he stopped, and looked at Sabrina with a serious expression, and a moment later, he relaxed, and softly asked her, "Would you like to dance with me?" He offered her his hand. She accepted it and said, "Sure, I'd love to."

As he grasped her hands, he suddenly pulled her close to his chest; so suddenly that she almost gasped. He put his hand around her waist, and locked his fingers of his other hand with hers. She kept a hand on his shoulder. They slowly stepped forward and backward, and he bent his neck a bit and nuzzled her neck. She could feel his warm breath on her neck, slightly tickling her. She certainly didn't know how to react, and blushed crimson. She couldn't push him – she couldn't create a scene in front of people she had seen for the first time in her life. Instead, that was _brotherly._ Or was it?

If people didn't know that she was his _step-sister_ , then they would actually believe that the two were a couple.

From the bar, Subaru took a shot and decided that he was going to tell her about his feelings. No, he couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't keep the new-born emotions inside him forever. The booze added to his confidence, and he wandered around in the hall, searching for her. Because of the drinks, he already had a light red blush over his face.

He finally found her, but all the motivation to confess vanished the second he saw her in such a position with Tsubaki. He grew so jealous. His face was red, neither due to the amount of alcohol he had consumed, nor due to the simple blush, but because of the anger boiling inside him. He immediately brisk-walked to the exit of the bouquet, fuming. He sat in the car, and grumbled something under his breath, and drove full-speed back to the Sunrise Residence.

A couple of hours later, when it was already midnight, and it was time to leave, Sabrina asked, "Where's Subaru-san?"

"I have no idea." Ukyo said, and called Subaru's cell. He didn't pick it up, but a minute later, Ukyo received this message from him, saying that he had reached home because of headache.

"Perhaps he drank too much. He has a headache and has reached home." Ukyo informed the others. Miwa was seeing off her guests, thanking them for taking their time to attend the party, and Sabrina had gone upstairs to change into her normal clothes for the sake of getting into some car, but not before snapping a few selfies with the others.

Wataru was already asleep, and the rest of the brothers returned to get the sleepy-head comfortable at home, and also because they couldn't leave Subaru alone at home while he was drunk. Since Sabrina took some time to get dressed, and Miwa had to fly off to somewhere else, Natsume volunteered to drop Sabrina back, _pretty willingly._

When she reached the top of the stairs the second time, she found no guests, no aristocracy, but a few laborers cleaning the place, and Natsume, waiting for her there. "You waited for me?" She began descending down the stairs, and he replied, "Had to."

Before she could step on the ground, he offered her his arm, just the way Masaomi did, or any other prince does to his princess. "Home?"

"Sure." She smiled, crinkling her eyes, and gladly took his arm in hers and they walked towards the exit together. "You know, my feet hurt after wearing those heels for so long. Not used to them."

"I sometimes wonder how women put up with that shit." Natsume said, and they laughed.

"Me too. I was like, 'Why the hell do we need to wear such things to look like a sophisticated, young lady?'" Sabrina said.

"Just the stereotypes, I believe." They got inside the car.

"Of course, that's it. I believe that women shouldn't be considered how sophisticated they are on the basis of their dressing sense. That's wrong, totally wrong. I mean, you can find a pretty sophisticated, good hearted woman who is an emo, or dresses up like one. It doesn't matter." They started driving, "Plus, the rights. Don't even get me started on that. How women are exploited, and forced to do what their man wants. You can't treat them like a slave. They are the ones who continue the generation, who make a house a 'home'..." She talked on and on, probably because she hadn't talked to anyone during the noon, and also because Natsume was one of the closest people to her. She felt that he understood her – one of the least persons existing on the planet. He should be called an alien for this fact, she thought.

Natsume just listened to her, and smiled in between about how she could talk endlessly. While in the middle, when she stopped to take a break, he remarked, "You sure are a feminist, aren't you?"

"Of course I am!" She proudly stated, "Are you?"

Natsume thought for a moment before replying, "True, women are very important, but we shouldn't forget the importance of humans as an existence, as a resource. Basically, I'm a humanist. Are you one?"

She thought for a minute, "Yes, that's right." The car came to a halt. "We're here." Natsume announced, and they both exited the car. She stood before him and said, bowing, "Thanks for the ride."

"No problem. It's always good to talk with you." He replied.

"That's a compliment I should return as well. It was fun talking to you." Sabrina said. Then there was sudden silence in the atmosphere. It was like he wanted to say something, but his mind stopped him.

"Goodnight." She said to end the silence, and turned. Natsume immediately said, "Wait."

"Yeah?" She turned. He fumbled with what he should say. No words at all. He had to come up with something reasonable at least. "Y-you looked really beautiful back there." He nervously said, his breathing comparably deep.

"Do I not look hot now?" She jokingly said, making a pose. They laughed and she said, "Just kidding. You looked cool too." Now having nothing to say, Natsume reluctantly said, "Thanks... goodnight."

"Goodnight." And she made her way into the residence.

What they didn't know was that from the third floor of the same building, someone had been watching them the whole time. He sighed in anger, crushing a piece of paper with his hand. He ran his hand through his black hair in frustration, turning to see his room's balcony door.

"I didn't leave the place early to see this. These bastards are on it already." Subaru grumbled, hastily opening the door to throw himself on his bed and sleep through the short night.

* * *

 **OHHH MYYY GODDD LOOK AT THE WORD COUNT! I didn't expect it to be this long, seriously! It took my four days to write this (count only six hours)**

 **And about all the insane things she did? Well, that's all I'VE DONE! Yeah, lifetime achievements... #ThugLifeOfAPoorWriter**

 **Really really really hope that you guys liked this chapter! It took a lot of effort to give you this. Please, guys, all of readers, review to tell me how it was. The game begins now!**

 **And yes, follow and fav if you find the story/chapter worthwhile.**

 **The next update will be a little late, since I have my exams from 4th of July, and they'll last for three weeks, so yeah, the struggle... I hope I'll be able to give you guys something before these three weeks pass. Till then, keep reading.**

 **Yours Truly  
Diamond Shyn**


	24. Chapter 24: Surprise!

**Red Diamond**

 **Long time! How have you all been? Here's the 24th chapter!**

 **My exams aren't over yet, but an English with a weekend before it has its own advantages.**

 **So, I'm in a pretty wild mood now, so let's do this... *shows an evil grin***

 **Here I am, my dears, to say that this story is better than most of those posted on the site, despite its popularity. I mean, my SINCERE APOLOGIES to all those who might be offended by this, but the truth is that I really, really feel that my OC is pretty underrated, maybe because of the lame first chapter (or if racism, then get lost!)?  
I've done a hell lot of work to make my story and summary appealing and interesting, but after a while, I just realized that there's no use to run after EVERYONE in life – you can't impress everyone. (Life lessons! Yay!) I mean, I'm 24-7 thinking of how to provide you all with the best work, sacrificing all my free time on this, and I don't think that I'm getting what I deserve (Yeah, you can call me selfish. You can call me ambitious). Just understand this – each story you read is not just some fantasy, but a piece of the writer itself.  
Here's the part that may anger you:  
You see, I've read quite a lot (and discontinued as well) fanfics in which there is Ema living with the brothers for a long time with them already fallen for her, and then this sister or something comes out of nowhere and the boys' feelings 'change'. Whoa whoa, my dear, weren't you just making promises with Ema to be with her forever? According to me, love isn't like seeing a hottie and going after her, kissing her, conflicting with your bros for her heart, and then seeing her sister and changing the party. No. Not at all. **

**(I hope that didn't offend any writer. I respect your decisions and your work. Kindly keep writing and giving your audience the best of your mind. I support you guys.)**

 **You can slam me for my thoughts, but if you think a bit more about it, then I guess we're gonna reach to the same conclusion.**

 **And yes, as you guys know that I already have the ending decided, then let me break this news to you – I've decided on a sequel too. The whole story is ready, and I can't wait to show you all the results! Angst, but lovely according to me.**

 **And finally, THANK YOU** **Cute Koneko Chan** **for adding this story to your favorites! And my reviewers (and the new guest reviewer Belle)!**

 **This chapter's gonna bring some humorous moments and – long awaited – the first love confession! You can guess by whom, but let's get on to the story!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Brothers Conflict, but my OCs and a few controversial thoughts.**

* * *

Chapter 24: Surprise!

Sabrina's POV

So, it has been two weeks since the first day of the year, and you can pretty much calculate the time by yourself. The schools had commenced, so I was looking for another reference book in a book store near my house. After I had found it, I began walking to the cashier's desk, but a section caught my interest. I walked in the magazines section, and my eye immediately caught a magazine with Tsubaki and Azusa' photo on the cover. _They really are famous._ A couple of high-school girls were standing nearby, looking at the cover of the same magazine, and gasping and exclaiming, "Oh, Tsubaki-kun is so hot!" "I find Azusa-kun better! Oh, his smile!"

It was at that moment I really wanted to walk over to the fangirls and proudly say, "These are my step-brothers!" But I controlled myself. _So much for being a sister!_

I then saw a magazine with Fuuto on the cover, and yeah, no doubts he was so popular. I grabbed that magazine too, and I walked towards the cashier's desk. While getting my books billed, I saw someone familiar standing nearby. He wore glasses. _Only Ukyo and Azusa wear glasses._ I looked carefully at him, and upon him hiding his face away from me that second onwards, I knew that he was aware of my curiousness and perhaps knew who I was.

I paced towards him and upon a closer look, I recognized the jerk. "Yo, Fuuto!" I guess I said that a bit too loud. His hand immediately shot up from his jeans' pockets up to my mouth to shut me up. In a whisper, he scolded me, "Shut up, idiot! Don't call out my name!"

Oh yeah, no doubts he was so popular.

I removed his hand from my mouth and said, "You jerk!" How dare he put his hand on my face! I shoved his hand away, glaring at him. He glared back, and then averted his eyes, "No use arguing with an idiot."

"Ha-ha." I replied with a poker face. This made him angry. He yelled in a low voice, "Are you mocking me? Who the hell do you think you are?!"

I put my lips closer to his ear, and said, "Someone who can take off this disguise and tell everyone here who you are, _Fuuto Asakura_." And I smirked. I stood back, folding my arms, evilly grinning at him. He looked around, just the way a criminal does before committing a crime, and passed me his pile of DVDs.

"Get these rented for me." He said before swiftly walking away. "Hey! Wait!" I called for him, but he turned and gave the look that said, "This isn't gonna end here."

I sighed, and looked at the DVDs. All were movies by the same actor. I went through all of them. _So, has he finally given up the job of an idol and decided to sit at home and watch some movies?_ "No, he wouldn't do that..." I subconsciously replied to myself. Maybe it was a collection of the works of his favorite actor? Even I had a folder on my laptop filled with Shah Rukh Khan's movies till date.

I were to keep it back on the shelves, but then I was his elder sister, and I had to take care of my 'lovely, young, naïve little brother'. In the end, I was the victim.

O~O~O

I reached my room, and was greeted by Fuuto leaning on the doorframe. I tossed him his bag and with an exasperated sigh, "There you go."

He checked the contents before saying, "You took a lot of time."

I argued, "As if I was supposed to do it in the first place." While I was unlocking the door of my room, he suddenly smirked. Why wasn't he gone already? Before I could ask him, he ordered, "I would like to watch these movies in your room, nee-san."

Nee-san? That was new from him. I looked at him suspiciously, checking for any signs of mischief or what, but he wore a mask of an innocent grin. I pushed open the door to my room and said, "Sure you can."

He welcomed his own self and made himself comfortable on a side of the bed. "Which one?" I asked him for the DVDs. He chose one and I set it on the television, drew the curtains, and sat on the opposite side of the bed, and successfully hunting a packet of crisps from the drawers. I literally had no idea that I had stuffed junk into such corners of my room, for example, drawers of my study table. _Should clean the room again._ No, thanks.

I passed him the packet, and he politely refused – oh, scratch that; instead he said, "I cannot risk my diet because of this shit." He called it shit. Yeah, shit. We all eat shit. I have stuffed shit into unexplored corners of my room. Whenever we swear by saying 'shit', we actually mean chips. Next time, Lay's should write 'Classic Salted Shit' on their packets. _Yeah, good going._

The movie started, and I happily munched away the packet by myself. Somewhere in between the scenes, my gaze shifted to Fuuto, and I observed how concentrated he was. _Concentrated in a movie? Seriously?_ Judging by the voices coming from the screen, there was probably some action sequence going on in the movie, but I was too busy observing him.

"Whoa! That was incredible!" He exclaimed looking at the television. "Huh? Oh, yes." I said, turning my attention back at the movie, and trying to understand what on earth was going on. He looked at me and commented, "You don't even know what's going on, do you?"

"Umm, kinda..." I said. He sighed in annoyance and said, "You don't have a clue. OF course, discreet like you won't understand how difficult it is to act natural."

"What do you mean?" I asked, shifting closer to him.

"Acting natural and casual is always the hardest part of the job. Doing something like walking and sitting – you can see how god someone is, because if you're faking away through the simple things it's transparent." I saw sincerity in his eyes – something which I had never seen. He continued, "People say pop stars can't act. I'm gonna prove them wrong, and I'll keep practicing until I'm as good as him."

"How insightful!" I remarked.

"Shut up! Are you making fun of me!" He snapped at me.

"No. No, of course not." I denied, "For the first time ever, I am inspired by your words. I mean, you're younger than me, and yet more determined than anyone else I know." He just looked at me. I locked eyes with him and continued, "Even I love dancing, and I can do anything to achieve my dream, but after listening to you, looks like I've gotta gear up. And yes, I'm really happy that I got to hear a part of you." I kept a hand on his shoulder, "You can come to me anytime if you wanna share something. I won't let anything escape my lips."

He smiled, and took the hand I kept on his shoulder. He said, "Never knew you could say so. There I was, thinking of letting you off the hook after this." He came closer to me, his grip tightening on my wrist. His other hand was going behind my head, and I could only stare at the hand he had gripped.

"I never noticed this, but hey, you're cute." _As in a teddy bear?_ He said and he pushed my head closer to his, forcefully. I only looked at my hand, and my condition. There's a thing about me – I can't tolerate anything forceful, be it someone forcing me to have coffee too.

The next thing I knew was that there was a sudden clap sound. He held his cheek and looked at me, stunned. I looked at him.

.

.

.

I could hear crickets' sound in the background, or at least I imagined to.

And then it occurred to me – I had slapped an idol's face. I had slapped _Fuuto Asakura._

"Oh shit! I'm so sorry!" I apologized, trying to take a look at his face to confirm that I hadn't slapped hard, but he didn't let me. Instead, he got up, and with a devilish, angry expression, he thundered, "You're the first one who has dared to do this!"

"I'm so sorry. It came out of habit." I apologized, looking at the ground. It felt like a parent was scolding a kid for breaking a flower vase, or in this case, for _slapping the parent._

Then came his devilish smirk. "You're gonna be sorry for what you've done. Just wait and watch." He warned, his voice calm but daring, and walked out of the room, leaving me wondering about what payback he was going to come up with.

O~O~O

In the evening, when I was just roaming about in the flower garden, thinking about what Fuuto's going to come up with and what backup plan I should have, I saw Subaru walking towards the main door. "Hey!" I called out for him. He looked at my face, and then turned to go inside.

 _What the hell!?_

"Wait!" I ran after him and stopped before he had a chance to get inside. I stood between the door and him, blocking his way, and held the handle of the door.

"Wait there. Why have you been avoiding me for the past few days?" I asked him. He simply avoided any kind of eye contact with me and hesitatingly stuttered, "J-just step a-aside."

"No," I refused, "You need to tell me what happened. Have I done anything wrong?"

He kept silent for a little, shifting his site from the ground to the flowers, then to the door behind me and back to the ground. Why was he so nervous?

"Subaru-san?"

"Please!" He snapped, startling me, "Get out of my way!"

Now that was bad. I was the one who was concerned about him all this time, and this is how he treats me. I was disappointed. My hold on the handle loosened, and I let it go the next second. I looked at him with hurt in my eyes, "Yeah..." I then stared at the ground, saying, "I'm sorry for bothering you."

I turned to go inside the building, intending to go punch the walls of my room to relieve stress, and then listen to Michael Jackson's _Beat It_. But I couldn't get a chance to step inside the building premises as out of the dark, Subaru grabbed my arm and turned me around and enveloping me in a hug. I kept silent for a minute or two; with my head against his chest, hearing his heartbeat and a long, deep breath he took in between. "I'm so sorry..." He muttered.

"It's okay." I said, and pulled myself away from his arms. However, his hands still remained on my shoulders.

"Look, it's just that...uh..." He fumbled, his cheeks turning redder by each passing moment.

"What happened?"

"I don't know how to put this together, but, this question has been bothering me." He finally spoke, "Do you have, like, a boyfriend or something?"

I arched my eyebrows and answered, "No, I don't. Why?" Why was he so bothered by that?

"Look, I, uhm... I need you." He said, "To be with me..." I was dumbstruck for a moment, just staring at his red face. He continued, "Will you go out with me?"

Whhhaaatttt? Did a guy, or wait, my _brother_ just propose me? For real? Where was the brother-sister connection? The innocence? The cameras for recording this? The president of United States? The aliens? And above all, my mini-me!?

"Wait..." I said to him, "Aren't we supposed to have a different relation?"

"Yes, but... I'm sorry." He said. After a little pause, he looked above at the sky. It had begun drizzling, and the sky was dark. "I don't want to force you into this. Just take your time, and reply me." He walked inside.

I extended my hand in front of me, letting a few droplets fall on my palm. There was a slight lightning up above. I looked at the sky, still thinking about Subaru's confession. I could only say:

"Hey aliens? Are you coming down?"

* * *

 **So that's what I did there. I just made it all a bit humorous, and hopefully you'll like it.**

 **How the idea of the long speech I gave up there in the other author's note came? A few days ago, my bestie (who isn't on fanfic) was going through my story. In the end, she just said, "I love your story, but you have more followers on Google+ than your story does." That struck me hard. So hard. I was triggered, and I just let out all my emotions up there.**

 **But it's of no use. No one's gonna read a mere author's not on the 24th chapter of the story, and I can't even add it on the first chapter or so. Poor me – I'm pitying myself for, I believe, the first time ever.**

 **Anyway, I hope you guys liked the chapter. Feel free to send my any suggestions about the scenarios you have in mind through a review. And of course, fav and follow if you like.**

 **Till then, goodbye! (The next chapter will be posted after a week, since I'll be having my math and science exams next week)**

 **Yours Truly,  
Diamond Shyn **


	25. Chapter 25: The Idol's Payback

**Red Diamond**

 **Back again!**

 **Thanks for supporting me with the... okay, that annoyingly long author's note in the last chapter. I'm relieved to know that I didn't hurt anyone.**

 **Damn it! I'm not getting any notifications on Gmail about people favoriting (is that even a word?) or following my story! So, whosoever you are, my dear, a big, BIG thanks to you! And of course, to my two consistent reviewers!**

 **And the others who reviewed this story in the beginning – where are you at? I'm missing you!**

 **What shall I say about this chapter? It's gonna be just... crazy** _ **.**_ **Totally crazy. I hope you don't find it boring because I've been waiting to write this sequence all the way along.**

 **References: Frozen (Disney)  
Minions (scattered all over!)  
Cars (Disney)  
Tag you're it by Melanie Martinez  
Titanic**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the anime or the references, just the plot and my OCs.**

* * *

Chapter 25: The Idol's Payback

Sabrina's POV

A week had passed since the day Subaru confessed to me, and we haven't talked much. In fact, we hardly exchanged words, except for maybe a formality greeting or so. He was hardly seen in the house, and that was actually good for me, since I was accountable to his question and I certainly didn't want to reply to him, because not even my highest spirits would I want to date my step-brother. But saying that would hurt him; and I couldn't even say yes to his proposal. _You're gonna hurt him either way. Why not reject him now?_

"Let the things be the way they are." I mumbled, stepping out of the elevator to reach the fifth floor. That's how I had been going all through the week. Also, Wataru too wasn't in the house, since he had gone for an adventure camp for two days.

I reached the dining table and saw Fuuto sitting there, with some glass bottle in his hand. He instantly noticed my presence and happily greeted me, "Is that not nee-san?" _Won a lottery or something?_ He looked unusually happy. "Hey there. What's up?" I said and walked to him.

Before continuing, let me say this: I completely forgot about the payback.

I sat next to him, and he said, "Didn't you tell me to share anything with you?"

"Yeah" I said.

"So, I just got an offer from one of those big-budget directors to star in his film." He happily said.

I exclaimed, "Really? That's great!"

"Wouldn't you celebrate with me?" He asked, a sly smile coming to light. I undecidedly said, "Sure." That proves to be one of the worst things I ever did, and has its place in my 'Not To Do' list.

He stood up and walked to kitchen, with me behind saying, "You don't need to do this. I can get something for you."

"It's okay." He said, opening the refrigerator, and pouring something into a glass. "Don't worry, that's cola." He said, handing me the glass. I looked at the glass, then back to him, and then drank its contents. It tasted unusually bitter.

"More?" He offered, and poured some more my glass before giving me than chance to consent in. I gulped it all, and this time it tasted better. And then another glass.

"So, how's life?" I asked, blinking my eyes. I kept my elbows on the table and rested my head in my hands. He said something, but I couldn't get most of it, just a few words in between. I was feeling dizzy. I closed my eyes for a second and opened them again, this time to see Fuuto's twin. Wait, what?

Then it dawned upon me.

"You jerk!" I angrily exclaimed, jumping out of my seat, "You drugged me!" He simply smirked.

"That's what you get for slapping _Fuuto Asakura_." He exaggerated his stage name, and smirked again.

"Really? I'm gonna do that again!" I said and swung my arm with an open palm, but I missed his face. I only looked at my hand which missed his face. The world was spinning around me.

And I cannot remember anything else from that evening...

Narrator's POV

She looked at her hand in defeat. How come was she not able to pull off the same act again? That wounded her ego, as Fuuto simply laughed in victory. She was triggered.

"How dare you!" She stomped her way to the kitchen, and came out a second later with a big knife. She evilly grinned, posing with the knife in her hands, "Now I'm not gonna miss!" Fuuto gulped as she stepped towards him with slow steps. He too, took slow steps back. Then she gained speed, and started running after him, while he ran for his life. Oh, his pretty face!

They ran in circles around the couches, with her throwing cushions on him and him dodging her poor throws. They were tired, and finally ended up behind a couch. Fuuto was curled up in a ball, begging for mercy, while Sabrina was hovering over him with the darkest smile on her face, and a dangerous aura surrounding her.

"Please... nee-san..." He begged to her, and she only laughed viciously.

"Apologize!" She shrieked.

"I'm so sorry!" Fuuto said, tightly closing his eyes.

"Haha you scaredy cat!" She teased him, dropping the knife and laughing; her dark smile vanished instantly. She turned and went to the kitchen. Fuuto got up to his feet, "Where are you going now?" He asked, dusting his clothes.

"Where's that whatever you mixed with my cola?" She asked, rummaging through the fridge.

"Um, that's over there" he pointed to the counter on the kitchen. She roughly grabbed the bottle and saw its label. "Mmm, some nice rum here." She read and took a large sip.

"What the hell!?"

"It's nice. Wanna try?" She offered him, but he rejected, finding it best to escape. However, Sabrina exclaimed the next minute, "How about a rum party here? Let's call everyone!" At that moment, Fuuto knew he screwed up.

She ran full speed to the elevator, with the half-filled bottle still in her hands, and boarded it. "Wait!" Fuuto said, before she waved to him and the doors shut in front of him. Now he was busted for sure.

Sabrina reached the third floor and knocked on the first door, which belonged to Iori. She knocked thrice, and then sang, "~Elsa? Do you wanna build a snowman?~" And ran to the next door. Iori opened his door to find Sabrina knocking on the next door, singing, "~Elsa number two? Do you wanna build a snowman?~"

"Sabrina?" Iori said, and Sabrina turned to him. He saw that she had half-closed eyes and a bottle in her hands. Upon examining it carefully, he came to know it was rum.

"Come here" He asked her, and she stepped in front of him, taking a sip. She reeked of alcohol.

"Have you been drinking?" He asked her, astonished. He didn't expect her to be drinking at such age.

"Oh, no, this holy water."

"Don't lie."

"Ask Fuuto." She said and ran into the elevator. Kaname opened his room's door. "Guess I heard your conversation." He said, peeping his head out the room. Iori face-palmed and Kaname laughed, saying, "It's going to get even more interesting"

O~O~O

"Yo there! Open up!" She screamed outside Tsubaki's room, banging his room's door. Everyone on the floor opened there doors to know the reason of the ruckus. Sabrina looked at everyone's faces and said, "Oh, everyone's awake? Did I make too much noise?"

"What happe- is that what I see?" Ukyo pointed to the bottle in her hands, and she happily nodded.

"Rum." Azusa said out aloud. She turned to him and exclaimed, "Bingo! You get a hundred thousand dollars from the monopoly game set!" At that moment, Yuusuke barged out of the elevator and yelled, "Are you drunk? Kaname nii-san told me so." He panted heavily. They all looked at him blankly for a moment before she clapped her hands and said, "Azusa-san, you get your money from him!"

"What?" Yuusuke asked, "Money?" She already ran to the almost closed elevator and pressed the button for fifth floor. Tsubaki sighed, lightly patted Yuusuke on his shoulder and said, "Never mind."

Sabrina reached the fifth floor, and saw a distressed Fuuto right away. "Oh Fuuto!" She exclaimed, running to him, "Haven't seen you in one-eighty years! Where have you been?" She embraced him on his side, and he nervously asked, "Did you tell anyone about this?"

"Yes, she did." Iori replied from atop the stairs, accompanied by Kaname, Ukyo, and Masaomi, folding their arms. Sabrina whistled. "Let the drums roll! Woohoo this was an epic entry!" The twins, Yuusuke, and Louis followed. They all

"Fuuto, that's illegal. You can be imprisoned for your act." Ukyo sternly said, and Fuuto looked away, "Whatever"

"Don't 'whatever' us! We're the 'Demon's Squad'!" Sabrina stated, "We specialize in detecting lies and deep-frying the culprits in vegetable oil. Here's our master chef – Rostranapito!" She opened her arms to Ukyo, and the sound of snickers followed. He just stood dumbfounded and embarrassed.

"Hard luck, Rostranapito..." Masaomi couldn't help but say.

"But don't worry; we won't have you in our menu because _tulaliloo ti amo._ " She said, innocently smiling. Let's just say that she was the only one who understood what she said.

"Umm, what was that?" Tsubaki asked, and she said, " _Po ka_!? You don't know the minions?" She widened her eyes and made the sound of 'haww!'

"Sure I do..." Tsubaki sheepishly mumbled.

Kaname coughed, grabbing others' attention, "Let's get her out of here first. She's high already."

"No!" She shouted, "I won't!"

"You need to, Sabrina-chan." Louis said, "It'll be good for you."

"Nah!" She said and started running all over the place. The brothers ran after her, but couldn't catch her. Kaname, Louis, Masaomi, Ukyo, and Iori stood in the corner , tired after a little bit of chase, watching the scene unfold before their eyes. "Is this her first time?" Iori asked, and Masaomi replied, "Probably."

She dodged each one of the males, jumping from one sofa to another, and climbing the kitchen's counter, hanging from the railing of the podium, and God-knows-where. Finally, Azusa and Tsubaki caught her while she was about to jump from the high railing. Fuuto and Yuusuke too, gripped her legs and the twins held her upper body, while the brunette struggled to get out of their grip. " _Stopa_!" she cried, "I'll cut your fingers and have them in dinner!"

O~O~O

"Let me out of here! _Poppadom radbad_!" She knocked on her door and begged to the people outside her room, on the opposite side of the door. Those meanies had also taken her rum bottle!

"In Japanese!" Came Yuusuke's muffled voice from the other side. She stomped her feet like a kid a little kid and threw tantrums, "Pretty please! Yuusuke!"

"No."

"Please!"

"No."

"I beg you, my dear, uh, handsome, uh, beggar- oh, prince!"

"I said no."

Sabrina huffed and blew her cheeks. But then she looked at the balcony, and had an idea right away. She took out all the bed sheets from her cupboard and tied their ends to each other, and then hung them out of her railings bordering the balcony. She looked down – yeah, she had to go down four floors. She attached an end to the thin, white-colored railing and held the so-called 'rope' tight. She climbed over the railings and threw herself down, grasping the cloth tightly. Now, she was swinging in the air from the balcony of the fourth floor of Sunrise Residence.

"Wee! This is so good!" She happily cried out, swinging with the air. She gently slipped down. Yuusuke, on the other hand, heard that declaration and burst open the door of her room, to find her swinging in the air. "Sabrina!" He yelled, "What the heck are you doing?!"

"You should do this too!" She exclaimed, "It's so fun!" Yuusuke pulled the cloth up, so she was almost back to her floor, but she gripped the sewer pipe, which happened to be beside her, and transferred to the strong pillar.

"No! Please!" Yuusuke said, but she ignored him and slowly slipped down the pillar. When Yusuke knew he couldn't do anything else, he too, grabbed the pillar and slid down, closing his eyes, wishing for his dear life.

"Tsubaki! Azusa!" He called from the pillar, and the two appeared on the balcony and saw the two sliding down the pillar – one of them almost crying and the other one having the time of her life.

"How the hell did you reach here?" Tsubaki shouted.

"Just go downstairs and don't let her escape!" Yuusuke cried, and his foot slipped. He hugged the pillar tighter, now too afraid to slide down. Thus, he was stuck there, perhaps for the entire night.

Sabrina reached the end of the pillar and jumped to the ground. In front of her, she saw a car pulling up. It suddenly stopped, and she kept her hands on it, and said, "I really like your eyes, Lightening McQueen!"

Natsume stepped out of h=the car in question. She looked at his face, stunned, and then looked back to the car, saying, "You never told me you were pregnant!"

Natsume was taken aback by that statement and he asked her, "Sabrina? What's wrong?"

"It's the world that is wrong!" She exclaimed, "They lie about everything! They commit crimes, steal money, and eat free cakes. They should be punished! They-"

"Natsume! Catch her!" Masaomi exclaimed, the entire family running towards her (excluding Louis and Yuusuke). Before Natsume's mind could process what on earth was going on, she ran away at full speed. The brothers ran past him, while he could only look at them.

"What happened?" He joined in the run and asked Azusa, and he replied, "She's intoxicated! Catch her before she messes up!"

They saw her crossing the road, causing the cars to stop abruptly and cause traffic. They too, ran after her, with Natsume in the lead, and followed her into the park. Once inside, they saw that she had climbed the thin fence that separated the lake from the park. She danced and sang, "~Running through the parking lot; he chased me and he won't stop; tag, you're it! Tag, tag you're it!~"

"Sabrina, come down." Natsume ordered. She stuck out his tongue at him. He walked towards her, but tripped by a small stone and fell into the lake. She turned around and looked below, and saw him totally wet, ducks swimming around him, and smiled and said, "You jump, I jump." And with that, she jumped into the lake with him.

The rest could only watch silently. "Um, and that's from _Titanic_." Kaname remarked, ending the awkward silence.

O~O~O

"You know how we drive? Like weeee!" She chirped on the way back, supported by Natsume and Masaomi. She had been muttering nonsense ever since. Just as they reached the entrance, they saw Louis standing in front of the large pillar, holding folded metal stairs, looking at Yuusuke, who was still holding onto the pillar below the fourth floor.

"Yuusuke, slide down a bit. I have the stairs ready." Louis said, unfolding the stairs, while Yuusuke looked down at him in fear, closed his eyes, and hid his face in his arms, "No! That's too scary!"

"Yuusuke..." Louis sighed. He had been trying to convince the redhead to come down ever since the others left, but he had been stubborn as hell.

"Yuusuke!" Sabrina enthusiastically called for him, and his face heated up in embarrassment. Sabrina let go of the two males holding her, and slightly swaying, made her way to the end of the pillar. "If you don't come down this instant, I will, uh... yes! I will leave with Natsume!" She threatened with a silly smile on her face.

"Huh?" Natsume said as the others eyed him suspiciously.

"What! No!" Yuusuke said and quickly slid down the pillar, reaching over to her and saying, "You're going nowhere!"

"Yes, boss!" She saluted him, making a military pose, while still swaying side to side, and laughed.

"That sure was... magical." Masaomi stated, and Ukyo nodded. Kaname smirked, standing next to Natsume, and said in a low voice, "He's just sick." Natsume looked at him quizzically but said nothing. Upon his silence, Kaname continued, "Sick with a disease that doesn't have a cure, but so beautiful. I suffer from the same aching, but I would love to keep suffering from it." They both looked at Sabrina, laughing like a maniac, and Kaname asked, "Do you too?" Natsume tilted his head to the side before walking off to his car.

"It seems like we had enough drama for the night, so I guess I should be leaving." He announced. Sabrina extended his hand towards him and dramatically said, "Don't go!"

"You should take her to her room, Yuusuke." Ukyo commanded, and he wrapped his hand around her shoulders and took her to her room, with the brunette giggling.

O~O~O

"Can you go to sleep now?" Yuusuke asked, sitting on her bed, constantly trying to put her to sleep but failing. She crossed her arms and said, "I wanna talk!"

"Okay, then." Yuusuke sighed, accepting his defeat, "About what?" Sabrina thought and thought and thought, and finally said, "You decide."

"Me?" Yuusuke said, and an idea struck his mind – why not try 'practicing' his proposal to her? She wouldn't even remember it. He cleared his throat, and held her hands. She simply looked at him in question.

"Sabrina, I..." He fumbled, blushing crimson, "I, uh, wanted to say something to you from I don't know how long..." Sabrina was reminded of Subaru's confession, and she gulped. One could easily tell what Yuusuke was intending to say by observing his body language and the strong blush on his face.

Not giving him a chance to say anything else, Sabrina immediately said, "Wait! Are you going to say something cheesy?"

"Uh, yes."

"Don't."

"Huh? I just wanted to tell you that I lov-" He said but Sabrina interjected by putting her finger on his lips, and said, "Just don't." They remained silent for a bit, and Sabrina crawled up to him and kissed him on his cheek, intensifying his blush.

She said, "Promise me that you'll never say I love you." He was stunned, but asked, "Why?"

"Promise first, reason later." She demanded, and he sulked and agreed, "I promise."

"Good. The reason? I can't afford to lose a brother." She simply stated, and the word 'brother' stung him. He still tried to reason in vain, "But you won't lose a... brother."

"You don't understand!" She exclaimed, loosely slamming her hand on the pillow beside her, "I've already lost one, and it feels terrible." She referred to Subaru here, but Yuusuke got it all wrong, and said, "I know, Arnav's death must've been hard for you."

Arnav. _Arnav_. That triggered her. It brought back a lot memories, some of which were the ones she could always treasure, but the last one being his corpse. She remained silent for a while, thinking just of him. Maybe because of the alcohol, she repeatedly saw the scene of him in the car, washed with blood, and then his corpse. Tears began brimming in the corners of her eyes.

"No God I can't cry!" She yelled at herself, letting a few drops fall down, which then lead to overflow of the emotions she had stored inside her all this while. Yuusuke hugged her, saying, "No! It wasn't your fault! His death was an accident!"

She fiercely pulled away. "No! I was the one who caused my family's death! If I didn't let them go that night, then it would've been fine. All of them must've been alive..." She began with a yelling pitch, but slowed down eventually as she proceeded with what she had to say. Yuusuke looked at her – the ever-so-strong girl breaking down in tears, crying unstoppably. It hurt to see her like that.

"I'm so pathetic." She blamed herself and broke into another fit of tears. Yuusuke hugged her from the side, stroking her hair, saying, "No, it wasn't you. It was never you. It was all destined to happen." She continued sobbing against his chest. "Calm down." He said, "Don't talk about that." She slightly nodded, her sobs decreasing. She was breathing heavily, leaning against his chest as he held her thin body to his side. The stayed like that for some time, before he felt her breath getting shallower, and saw that she had fallen asleep with a tear stained face.

He laid her down, covered her with a blanket, and kissed her forehead, and left her alone in the room, shutting the lights, letting the darkness of the night draw her in.

* * *

 **Didn't come out as I expected it, but yes, just got my point across. And yes, she cried, finally... The ending had to be this way, so I hope you didn't find it boring. I was pretty enthusiastic to write the chapter, but yeah, the exams really don't help. It took my four days to write this little chapter.**

 **Plus, tomorrow is my mom's birthday! So I've been busy preparing for her. Hope you understand :)**

 **Meaning of Minions' words - tulaliloo ti amo: We love you  
Po ka: What?  
Were there any other? I'm not sure; didn't get enough chances to insert the phrases. **

**REVIEW! And please follow or fav this story if you find it worthwhile! The next chapter will be out next week because next is the last one (yay) but the head of all villains... MATHEMATICS!**

 **Yours Truly  
Diamond Shyn **


	26. Chapter 26: Troubled Friendship

**Red Diamond**

 **Heya! Exams are finally over!**

 **I don't know what to feel... some relative on my mother's side, whom I've barely met once, died an untimely death, and I don't know if I'm supposed to feel sad about someone whose name I don't even know. Plus, this is one of those days when I have weird mood swings, so today I'm feeling like shit for no specific reason. I don't know if I should be happy that I had an amazing math exam, or sad that someone died. Oh wait...**

 **I was going to audition for Dance+3 this time, but to no avail due to my 'studies' and bullshit. I really wanted to! And by the looks of the show now, I could've easily made way to the top twelve at least! I really had the shock of my life when it was announced that DYTTO and FIK-SHUN were coming this season! Dammit, I missed it all!**

 **Okay, so no one actually added this story to favs or followed it, so thanks only to my reviewers. This chapter is not going to have that much of humor quotient, and another thing – there is kinda surprise waiting for you at the end of the chapter, hinting you for the sequel (I know it's too early but I'm a person who cannot keep people in suspense for long).**

 **Let's get on with the story. It's kinda Fuuto-centric again, but we'll get to see more of the other characters in the next chapters. I hope you like the chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: You know... No anime but the OCs.**

* * *

Chapter 26: Troubled Friendship

Sabrina's POV

I woke up the next morning, and felt like a hundred trucks had hit my head. It hurt so much that I had to hold it with my hands, afraid it would fall off. It felt so heavy! I went to the nearest washroom to wash my face, and took aspirin to get rid of the throbbing in my head. After getting ready, I tried to remember what happened the previous night, but the last thing I could remember was Fuuto.

And I wasn't naïve enough to not realize that I had been drugged, even in such a condition.

I stormed up to the main hall in pure rage, but the second I reached it, I put on an innocent smile with traces of anger still evident in my eyes. The atmosphere was quiet – everyone was minding their own business. _Not now... the hurricane is here!_

"Uhm uhm, "I coughed to get everyone's attention. From the corner of my eye, I saw Fuuto looking at me quizzically. _At peace? No more!_

With the sweetest of voices, I asked, "Good morning! Can someone please tell me what happened last night?" At the end of the sentence, the voice changed much into a threat-like tone, with the smile slowly vanishing.

"You were intoxicated," Azusa answered, and Tsubaki continued, "By Fuuto."

I again had that oh-so-sweet smile, and in a sugary-sweet voice, I asked him, "And my dear, why did you do that?"I kept my voice sweet, but had a death glare on him.

"You slapped me..." He said in a barely audible voice, still the rest heard it.

"What!? She slapped you?" Tsubaki said, amused – just like the others. Yuusuke had a victory smile on his face, as if he had done that. Fuuto was embarrassed, and immediately rose from his seat, angrily walking over to the elevator, yelling, "None of your business!"

After he was gone, everyone burst laughing in the room, with Yuusuke exclaiming, "That's the moment I had been waiting for all my life! You did it, Sabrina!" He threw his fists in the air. It looked as if the whole family was celebrating in my victory, as if all of them were against Fuuto.

"But hey, why did you slap him?" Tsubaki asked, and everyone's heads turned to my direction. _Hehe._ I couldn't tell them that I slapped him because he was trying to forcibly kiss me. That would land him up in a huge trouble and otherwise too, would be very embarrassing.

 _Tell them that he did that. It would serve him right!_

All of them were curiously looking at my face, expecting an answer. "I..." I finally spoke, "...got fed up of his stupid demands." Hush! They were probably convinced by my answer.

"That was obvious." Azusa said, "He has weird demands."

"And a weird attitude." Tsubaki added.

"He is weird." Yuusuke stated. I wasn't going to let him off the hook that easily. After all, he had dared to mess with me – the great nobody me! I had fans... they weren't just visible with naked eyes.

O~O~O

Just as I had said that I wasn't letting Fuuto away that easily, I was flooded with ideas to prank him. Yes, pranks were the best options – they weren't offending at all. And for my prank for the guy, I had been searching online for stores nearby to find the requisite material – all thanks to Yuusuke, who had once told me that Fuuto was scared of ghosts and horror stuff. I sneaked out of the house in the noon and bought them.

Later, I checked if he was home or not, and thankfully he wasn't. I got to know that he would be returning home the same night, which gave the perfect chance for my plan to ensue.

Next, I needed someone who could help me with it. I couldn't ask Yuusuke, since he was on the very verge of failing in math and was practicing at the moment, so I went for the next two people who came into my mind.

"Tsubaki-san! Azusa-san! I need your help!" I knocked on their doors, and they opened at the same time, with a bit of concerned expressions on their faces.

"What happened?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," I said, placing my hands on my hips, "But I have a feeling that I'm going to give someone a heart attack this evening." I smirked, and perhaps they got the idea, because their faces comparably changed.

"Count us in." Tsubaki said.

I lead them to Fuuto's room – which I had entered for the first time myself – and saw that there was hardly any interior. Just a simple bed, a dressing table, a cupboard, and- that's it. Maybe it was almost-empty because he was out of town most of the time? Too simple for my taste, anyway.

I emptied the polythene that contained the 'decorating' items while Azusa shut the door behind us.

"It's a pity that this brat doesn't lock his room." Tsubaki said, and I nodded. With evil grins on both of our faces, we shut the curtains, partially blocking out the soon-fading daylight, and I whispered, "This dude's gonna regret it all." He nodded, looking at me.

"Are you both gonna keep this detective-type expression all the time? You're giving me the creeps." Azusa chuckled.

We set up different types of horror posters on his walls, replaced the tube-light with a defected one, and kept a portable speaker connected to my phone in his drawer, filled with blood-curling screams and what not. To be honest, even I wanted to exit the room as quickly as possible, because I knew that I wouldn't be able to sleep easily after watching such horrid photographs. I admit, I was afraid of horror stuff as well.

I literally had a mini heart-attack when Tsubaki tried to scare me. I was alarmed to such an extent that I ran and hugged Azusa tightly. Thankfully I didn't kill the poor guy by squeezing too much – I grabbed him so tight as if he was my only refuge.

"You don't need to be scared so much." Tsubaki frowned, I didn't know why, and detached my hands from Azusa's shirt.

O~O~O

We were done by the evening, and before we could disperse from the spot, we heard someone's footsteps in the hallway. With no intention of getting caught in someone else's chamber, we three jumpily searched for a place to hide, and slid underneath the bed.

The door opened, and Fuuto walked in, lost in his phone, typing. That was certainly not our plan – to be hidden in his room and watch the show, but we were doing so, and it was more than fine for me to see his scared face. I looked at the two beside me, and they were animatedly waiting for the show to begin. We peeped from under the bed. _Fine with me._

Fuuto's hand reached for the electricity board while he was still busy staring at the screen, and he fumbled with the switch. He switched it on, but no sign of light was there. He removed his eyes from his phone and clicked the switch on and off several times, but to no avail. "Why isn't this goddamn light working!" He huffed in annoyance, and then his sight fell on our decorations. We three tried hard to stifle our laughter as we watched his mien change from an annoyed one to a horrified one.

 _It's time!_ I pressed the play button, and the screams began erupting from the speaker in full volume, very clear even through the wooden drawer. It was creepy for me as well, but I couldn't afford to miss the brat's face.

He let out an ear-piercing scream and ran out of the room, closing his eyes tight and shutting both his ears with his palms. The three of us could no longer suppress our laughter, and we burst out laughing. We crawled out of the bed; I took my speakers from the drawer, and searched for him. He was on the fifth floor, breathing heavily, but not letting out any word because the others were there too, wondering what had happened to him. However, the look of fear was still evident on his face.

We came down the stairs laughing, holding our stomach. Everyone looked at us questioningly, especially the frightened idol, who was running his fingers through his hair. A look of realization passed on his ace as he thundered, "Oh let me guess – it was you guys who did that!"

We laughed even more in response, slightly nodding our heads.

"What did you do?" Kaname asked, arching his brows.

"You won't believe..." Azusa said, giggling.

"We pranked him!" Tsubaki cheered, "See the look on his face! Haha!"

Yuusuke seemed a bit too enthusiastic about that, and he enthusiastically asked, "What did you do!?"

"Don't you dare tell them..." Fuuto glared at us. I stuck out my tongue at him, and with pride as high as Mount Everest, I declared, "That's what you get for drugging the boss!" He glared and turned his face away.

"So, as you all know that this guy here is scared of ghosts," I said, giggling in between, "We actually gave his room a _make-over_. Looks like he didn't like it enough..."

The others realized what I was saying and the whole room erupted in laughter.

"Really, Fuuto..." Masaomi said, laughing.

"Now who's the scaredy cat?" Yuusuke sneered.

"Shut up!" Fuuto said. He moved to go back, and then a minute later, returned halfway through as he remembered the condition of his room. This made us laugh even more.

"Clean my room first!" He yelled.

"Oh my, that isn't good for your throat." I faked concern.

"Shut up. And remember this – it isn't over yet." He warned.

O~O~O

Let's skip to two weeks, when it was the first of February – fourteen days to Valentine's Day. It was also the first day of the new batch for the students promoting from middle school to high school. And because we were the senior secondary students, we were supposed to prepare for their welcoming. Yuusuke, Sasakura, Mahoko and I were stationed at the entrance, greeting the fresh faces as they examined the school, and directing them to their classes. My sight was on the gate, as I saw them crowding up in the premises. _A girl... another girl... a group of boys... another girl... Azusa- oh wait, is he going to do his schooling all over again?_

"Azusa-san! What's he doing here?" I asked Yuusuke as Azusa approached us.

"Hey, how's the day going?" Azusa casually asked.

"Why are you here?" Yuusuke asked.

"Yeah, and all dressed up?" I added.

"Well, apparently Masaomi, Ukyo and Kaname were all busy, and I was the one next in line to be the guardian." Azusa said. I was about to ask about Tsubaki, but then: _Tsubaki as a guardian? If he had a guardian angel, then she would be face-palming right now, looking at his condition. He should be the one to enter a school and announce, "The one who gets to the auditorium first gets three hundred yen!"_ Never mind.

"Our guardian?" Yuusuke asked, and Azusa replied, "Of course not. I'm here for someone else."

"Who?" I implored, and the next moment, a car pulled up to the entrance of the school, and guess who showed up? Our dear Fuuto Asakura.

"Why the hell is he here?!" Yuusuke shrieked. Fuuto was dressed up in the juniors' school uniform, and it wasn't a difficult task to tell why he was there. Amongst the excited squeals of the female students, he stalked over to us, and respectfully bowed before us, and whispered, "A pleasant surprise, isn't it, nee-san?" He straightened his back and said, "Please take care of me." And swiftly walked off. Just like that. Leaving us in a daze of what just happened. Yeah. Just like that.

"No..." Yuusuke cried.

"Yes..." Mahoko whispered, unable to control her excitement. And that's when I remembered that she was his fan.

"You have a boyfriend." I reminded Mahoko, and smiled.

O~O~O

"So, what about that function?" Yuusuke asked, as we were walking idly in the school. We had nothing to do at all, since the newcomers had an orientation session, and all the teachers were busy conducting it.

"Yes, the annual day function," I said, "The teachers are asking us dancers to choose partner for the dance. It can be a non-dancer as well, but I doubt if anyone would be able to catch up to the steps."

"Then, whom have you chosen?" He asked me.

"No one, actually. It is just the day after the valentines' day, so everyone has a partner, but I don't." I replied, sighing. Suddenly, he volunteered, "I can go with you."

"Huh? Will you be able to dance?" I asked in disbelief.

"Of course I would. I wouldn't let anyone else take you." He stated with pa _s_ sion. We locked eyes, and I could feel something was wrong.

"Why?" I simply asked.

"I just wouldn't." He said with so much devotion in his voice that I feared the commitment was to something else. It sure was something other than the step-siblings or friends' relation. I wasn't so naïve; his eyes were soft, and his voice reflected more concern than usual, as well as determination.

And I was reminded of Subaru.

"Um..." I broke the eye contact by all of a sudden averting my eyes and turning around, "I should go see the orientation session." I walked off without sparing him another glance.

I went over to the garden area, where there was no one else but me, my thoughts, and numerous cherry blossoms covering the scene. I wanted to sort out my mind with what was right and what was not. I needed peace. In the scenery of all pink and white, I saw an unmoving hand with its source from behind a tree. I walked towards it, and was greeted with my sleeping brother.

I kneeled down next to him, and watched him sleep. He seemed much more innocent than he really was. "...nee-san..." He mumbled in an almost inaudible voice, "...don't... do this..."

 _Sleep-talking? What is he even dreaming about?_ I wasn't exactly glad to know that he was dreaming something about me. Was he murdering me in his sleep? Or pushing me off a cliff? He continued, "...If you do this... I won't be able to... control myself..."

Maybe I lost all my curiousness to know what he was dreaming. It was certainly bad. I got back on my feet to leave but I was pulled back by a hand. I was instantaneously face-to-face with Fuuto, who was now smiling down at me.

"What the hell?"

"Did my acting convince you?"

"Were you acting?!" I exclaimed, "That was fab!" We got up, my wrist still in his hands. I was still distracted by the talk with Yuusuke, yet I praised on this guy to turn off my mind from the rush, "You're getting good at this."

"Am I?" He again had a playful smirk on his face. The next moment, I felt my back slam on the tree behind me, and then he left my wrist. I understood his intentions. "Fuuto, no."

He shot his hands beside him, and said, "Not forcing you this time."

"No."

"This is your chance to run."

"I never run."

He smirked and stepped closer. "Then it's your fault."

I sighed and said, "Fuuto plea-" Before I could complete, his lips met with mine, and he brought his other hand to my shoulder. Because he was looking really funny being so near, I closed my eyes, still reluctant to his demand. A couple of seconds later, he pulled away from the blushing mess – that was me – and said, "That was better than I had expected." He cupped my cheek, "Don't worry, it'll stay between both of us. Just wait and watch as I make your school life fifty shades more interesting." He stepped back, and I averted my eyes.

"I didn't consent for that." I remarked, and he mocked me, "Oh I love anticipation."

He walked off, "See you later, if you're lucky." He really didn't have to add the last three words.

I grasped the end of my sleeve, looking at nothing, practically, and sighed.

What on earth had I gotten myself into?

* * *

 **Wee, that is it. I just wanted to write a kiss in Sabrina's POV. Hope you weren't bored.**

 **And about the glimpse? Here it is!**

' _ **Love is an obsession. It's the madness that runs in your veins.'  
"You cannot understand me... ever, because you've never been in love. I have. And I got myself wounded." She looked back at him, her signature smile regaining its place, "But I love those wounds."**_

 **So much for waiting all this time...**

 **Okay please review, and add this story to your favs and follows. The next glimpse will be given after three or four chapters at max, and the next chapter will be posted very soon. Till then, hold on, and keep reading.**

 **Love,  
Diamond Shyn**


	27. Chapter 27:Preparations and Valentines'

**Red Diamond**

 **Chapter 27! Sorry for the delay! The reason? The greatest of all... sleep! (Just slept through the hours I was supposed to write) and of course, the hoards of assignments school just dumped on us students!**

 **I've got nothing specific to say, but I re-read all my chapters from the beginning and understood the reason why most people rejected this story...  
It was so embarrassing to read it! I couldn't believe that I had written that bad English. Like, really. Things started to get better from the fifteenth or sixteenth chapter, but before that – OMG! **

**Also, thank you for the reviews!**

 **Reply to my guest reviewer** **Charu** **: Thanks! I try to add his scenes, but we aren't so clear with his character and personality due to his rare appearance in the anime. I'm still working up on how to give him a bit more screen time. But won't disappoint you!**

 **Ya, and here's the 27th chapter of the story. I hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: No no no I do not own the anime Brothers Conflict, but the plot and my OCs.**

* * *

Chapter 27: Preparations and Valentines'

Sabrina's POV

So, the preparations for the annual day began from the next day – second day of February. Fuuto was in the school now, so I had to be careful with each of my moves, since he hung out with Yuusuke, Mahoko, and me. I wasn't really happy, nor was Yuusuke, but Mahoko was perhaps the happiest girl on the planet.

And it happened that Himura, a dance troupe member, was also single, and thus we paired up for the dance. Yuusuke wasn't exactly amused by the idea, but I had no other option. Otherwise too, it was just for a few days. Our theme for the dance was the abusive side of love – completely different from what had ever been represented on the stage in the school. Since everyone wanted to be the lead dancer, we had a separate audition amongst the members to choose who could hold the requited mien, and carry out the cleanest contemporary moves.

We heard a knock at the door, and I turned and observed that it was none other than Fuuto. I heard gasps and squeals in the room – oh, the authentic public reaction. He walked in and with such with such an uncharacteristic politeness, he asked, "Can I participate in the dance as well, only if you don't mind."

I face-palmed, because I knew what was coming. Without thinking twice, everyone agreed to let him in, and even made him the lead dancer. I tried to protest, but of course, who was Sabrina in competition with Fuuto Asakura?

He was made to see the auditions for the female lead, and because I knew he would choose me just to insult me, I danced half-heartedly with a little or no expressions. After watching us all and pretending to be in a deep thought about whom to choose, he spoke, "I believe Sabrina is the best. She had the expression we needed."

 _Great. You just provided him the expressions required for the act._ I admit I had completely forgotten the theme. And that's how I was paired up with Fuuto for the next fourteen days. _Fourteen_ days.

In the recess, when I told Yuusuke about the decision... one could perhaps predict his reaction – angrily freaking out, yelling like a madman, exploding like a volcano, and blah blah blah. "What the hell does that brat think he's doing!?" He shrieked, "What does he want?"

"I just don't know – he's driving me nuts. I mean, first that jerk has to trouble me at home, and then he comes to this school like 'oh nee-san!' and then he has to take part in the dance too!" I said, annoyed.

"You're so lucky!" Mahoko said. Both Yuusuke and I shot a glare at her, and she knew that she had to shut up.

"Look, if he tries to get under your skin, then just let me know." Yuusuke sighed, and I nodded. The recess was soon over, and I had to return to the dance room for the practice.

O~O~O

"Just stretch your hand a bit more... yes, that's it." I directed a girl for the final formation. Just two days were left for the big day, and it was Valentines' Day the next day. I clapped and exclaimed, "Well done! We're all ready!" The formation dismantled, and scattered like the beads of a necklace when the thread breaks.

While I was having a sip of water in the corner of the room, Ayame walked up to me and asked, "Do you have a date for tomorrow?"

"Well, no." I shrugged it off.

"Why not?" She whiningly asked.

"Maybe because I haven't found anyone yet? Or because I'm not interested?"

"The first reason is the better one. And wait; let me help you find someone..." She dug deep in her bag and revealed her phone with Eiffel Tower cover.

"Not this guy for sure..." She mumbled while furiously swiping her thumbs across the bright screen. My curiosity grew.

"What are you gonna do?" I came closer and peeped in her phone, and guess what? She was surfing some dating site, hooking me up for a blind date. I snatched the device from her hands, startling her.

"Give me back my phone!" She said, attempting to snatch her phone back, but she couldn't, since I was way taller than her and had extended my hand upwards.

"You can't do this! I don't wanna go on a date!" I said.

"It's a blind date for god's sake!" She argued, trying to jump and grab her phone.

"No use, sweetie. I won't like any guy for sure. Either I will be going back home in a sour mood, or he will be going back his home with a purple circle around his eye." I retorted, handling her back her mobile.

"Just... do it. I've tried it. Otherwise too, I'm not telling you to actually date the guy. Just go on one damn date! Trust me!" Ayame explained, flailing her arms around. She made puppy eyes, and I narrowed mine. She tried to flatter me, and I finally gave in. Just. For. One. Damned. Date.

O~O~O

Later that day, when people had already dispersed from the school, I was winding up my work, when Fuuto walked in with a bored expression on his face. "Oh, hey." I said, piling up the registers.

"You know what? The theme of our dance is boring." He simply remarked. And that was what I was expecting from a _long_ time – ever since he joined – his useless, rude comments. I folded my arms and said, "No point saying now, mister. We're already prepared."

"We can change."

"No we can't."

"We can."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Shut up."

"You shut up."

"You shut up."

"You shut up!" I was the first one to lose my temper, "The dance is perfect." I knew that he was executing the act to irritate me. And he was quite successful in his mission, though, because I was ticked off.

"I wouldn't like to participate in such a stupid drama." He said with a poker face, tucking his arms behind his head. _Why is everything stupid for you?_ That was exactly what I didn't want. For him to walk out at the last moment, when all were merry. Yet, I was the stubborn idiot, and said, "Fine, then. I'll find someone else to replace you."

"Ah, really?!" He mocked me with an amused grin, "Then I'm out! Find your partner, nee-san." He lifted his hands to give the 'surrender' pose, but his face showed a smirk. I realized that he was the only option we had, since no one would be able to catch up with the moves and synchronization in just a day.

As he was about to exit the room, I called out, "Wait!"

He turned his head like James Bond, "Yes?"

I sighed, apologized to my ego, and said, "I'm sorry."

"Raise your voice, I couldn't hear that."

"Okay I'm sorry! You can't just quit it now!" I said. He smirked and walked up to me, "I don't think I'm convinced."

"...Please..." I said the word, and he shook his head, still not convinced. _No one's watching, Sabrina. Do what you always wished to do with him... murder him, right here, right now._ Best idea, to be honest.

"Say something more, then I may take your apologies into consideration." He frankly said.

I sighed, and with the sweetest of smiles, I looked up at him, and said, "Please don't go. I need you. Please... be with me." I forced the words out. That was so sick, but he seemed satisfied. He stepped even closer, reducing the distance between us, and held my chin. "It feels good when you say those words-"

"Stay the hell away from her!" A yell came our way from the corridor. He immediately removed his hand from my face and we parted to see Yuusuke with a... betrayed expression? He looked sad, but above all, he was fuming.

"Don't even try to touch her!" He thundered, stomping his way to us and pushing Fuuto away.

"What's wrong with you?" Fuuto dared, and he received burning glared from Yuusuke. The redhead turned to look at me, and I could see sadness in his eyes. "You cannot do this..." He muttered, and walked off from the classroom.

"Wait Yuusuke!" I went after him, calling his name, but he didn't stop. He didn't even look back. I knew I had hurt him. Did he listen to those fake flattering words I said to Fuuto? Was that the reason?

I stalked back to the classroom with a much darker mood, just to collect my belongings. "Don't mind him, he's an idiot." Fuuto said in the background, but I ignored him, and swiftly walked out of the room with my bag hung over my shoulder, trying to suppress my irritation.

O~O~O

I woke up the next day, and was greeted with a knock at my door. I tried to calm down my hyper-actively tangled mess of hair, and opened the door to see Wataru smiling at me.

"Good morning, nee-san!" He cheerfully greeted me, and I couldn't help but reflect his smile, "Good morning Wataru-kun!"

He revealed a little bouquet of roses from behind his back and offered them to me. "This is for you; happy valentines' day nee-san" I gladly accepted them and said, "Wow, I love them! Thank you so much!"

"Aw, man!" Came the faint voice of Tsubaki from the end of the hallway, who too, had a bouquet in his hands, "I was supposed to give her the flowers first!" He pouted, and beside him, Azusa said, "So the youngest grabs the first opportunity."

"Morning, and what's going on?" I asked, perplexed. They approached me – and of course, how could a start without a big hug from Tsubaki? "Happy Valentines' day!" He exclaimed, and I replied with half the energy, partly due to my sleep, and partly due to the incident which occurred the day before. I still had to apologize to Yuusuke and clear the misunderstanding.

"What happened?" He asked me, my low-energy level not going unnoticed by him.

"Just sleepy." I faked a yawn to make him believe me, and he bought that.

"We had a bet on who would be the first one to give you the flowers, and this little man here stands the winner." Azusa explained.

"I'm not a little man! Look, I'm all grown up!" Wataru whined, and stood on his toes, and we laughed.

I went for a bath, and came ready down the stairs in my school uniform. I looked around for Yuusuke, but he was nowhere in sight. I asked Ukyo about him, and he replied that Yuusuke had already departed. That stung. I felt so guilty. Still, I tried to maintain the smile.

I reluctantly sat at the dining table with the rest. "So, any plans for today?" Masaomi asked, and most shook their heads.

"Guess I'll be at the library for some research." Iori said, despite knowing that he wouldn't be at peace for the day because of his personalities. It was not a difficult task to know whether he'll be given any chocolates, and according to my instincts, I believed that he would get enough chocolates to eat for the next twenty days.

From the other end of the table, Kaname declared, "Don't expect me to return for the dinner." I choked on my food. _Should've expected that from him._

"Busy day at the salon." Louis simply stated.

"Azusa and I are free. For once." Tsubaki said, earning a nod from Azusa.

"I'm free." Ukyo said in a deep thought.

"I'm not exactly sure about the practice today, so I'll have to confirm from the coach." Subaru said, lost in his own world.

And everyone knew that Fuuto would be having a day full of girls fawning on him, and to him that was no big deal. Wataru was too young to have any _actual_ plans, so the one left was me.

"Um, a blind date..." I said, totally embarrassed to talk about that. Subaru's head snapped up, Fuuto raised a brow, the twins frowned, Wataru folded his arms, Louis still had no reaction, and Kaname's eyes sparkled, as if I had told him that he had been elected as the country's president. I shifted in my seat.

"A blind date?" Subaru mumbled.

"At last, our imouto-chan is interested. How I wish I could be the one!" Kaname joyfully said.

"You're going on a blind date? You?" Fuuto judgmentally said, examining me from head to toe.

"Yeah, me." I replied to him with a cold smile.

"Literally you?"

"Yeah, and what's wrong?"

"I feel bad for the poor guy." He said and got off the table, with me yelling behind him, "What the hell, Fuuto?!"

When I returned my gaze to the table, Masaomi and Ukyo were still looking at me questioningly, so I elaborated, "This friend of mine forced me into this. Trust me, I'm not gonna date anyone."

"But you're going on a date!" Tsubaki whined.

"Not a real one. At least I don't consider it a real one." I replied.

"It'll still be called a date." Azusa said.

"I'm just going for some fancy food. Nothing more." I reassured them.

"But don't let him touch you! I don't even know the man!" Wataru said like a forty-year old, deep-breathing though his nose, his arms crossed over his chest. I was actually amused to know that a ten-year old guy knew about all this dating and stuff, but considering that he grew up in an environment of twelve more brothers, with almost all of them matured, the result wasn't a new story.

"And carry a pepper spray with you." Subaru said something to me for the first time that day.

"Or a knife, to be exact." Tsubaki sighed from his corner.

"Chill, I know how this date's gonna end up – with him getting beaten up by me." I said, cracking my knuckles.

O~O~O

The first thing I did when I reached the school was to search for Yuusuke. After dumping my bag on my seat, I went out looking for him in the entire school, passing by hundreds of couples holding hands, and some a bit too passionate. The worst was when I pushed open the doors of some closed classrooms, and found couples kissing. So I had to make a fool of myself and apologize to them, and secretly cursing the day – Valentines' Day, as stupid as it was.

I finally found him roaming about in the field, all alone. I ran up to him and hugged him, saying, "I'm so sorry!" It was already Valentines', so no one took notice of us. When I pulled away, he had a tomato-red face, and stuttered, "Y-you!?"

"That was just a freaking misunderstanding!" I began breathlessly, "Fuuto was going to quit the dance, and demanded me to say some sweet words to him. All you saw was just one of his stupid acts."

He wore a thoughtful expression, and it soon changed into a little smile, "I'm sorry for even thinking like that... I thought you had actually, like, fallen for him." He ended his words with a slightly lighter tone.

"Idiot! As if I ever would!" I said, and we chuckled.

"Hey, and..." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Um, are you free tonight?"

"Sorry, but no, "I said, "Ayame got me up in a blind date."

"A blind date! Are you gonna date someone?" He asked, cautioned.

"No, no... no I won't." I said, calming the guy down, "It's just an evening's play."

He wasn't actually convinced, but we proceeded to go back inside the class. I roamed my gaze around my surroundings, and I saw someone familiar. At least I thought to.

I swear that I caught a glimpse of the idol.

O~O~O

I opened my locker to get some books, and out fell a dozen boxes of chocolates and roses, and of course, some little perfumed notes. Mahoko, who was with me at the moment, stared at the ground in no surprise, but with a look that said 'Oh, this happens daily'. I gathered the things in an uneven manner and shoved them back in the locker, slamming the door with a loud thud before they could ooze out again. "Now, what the hell was that?" I said, still holding the handle of the compartment.

"That was obvious." Mahoko said, oblivious to my situation, checking the label of her books. I looked at her skeptically, and she replied, heaving a heavy sigh, "Do you have the slightest idea of how many guys adore you? Like, do you even notice that there are guys staring at you every time you walk in the hallway?"

I looked at her unbelievingly for a couple of seconds, thinking it was some kind of prank, but her expression of 'Yeah, this is the truth! Face it!' didn't waver, and all I could say was, "Wow..."

"Just 'wow'? My dear unaware lady, you are no less than a doll to the boys." She said, and I couldn't believe her at all. I mean, admiring me? The wild animal?

All that helped in proving to me that being judgmental was not always a blessing. _Hence, proved._

"I'm pretty sure that Yuusuke must've also gotten some. It's not like he isn't famous among the girls, though" Mahoko said, and I immediately lit up.

"Has he checked his locker yet?"

"Nah, I don't think so."

"Let's do it, then!" I suggested, and took off a hairpin off my hair. Mahoko looked around to see if anyone was around, but we were the only ones. I inserted the end into the lock, and without any uphill struggle, it opened with a low creek. I was so sure that all those who had put those things in there must also have borrowed a pin from some girl – it was such an easy task to do so!

There were a couple of cards in there (and chocolates, of course), and I grabbed them and read out one of them:  
" _Dear Yuusuke-kun,  
you have no idea how much I like you! Your style, the way you talk, the way you walk... A box of chocolates from my side. I hope you enjoy them.  
Saki_"

"That's Saki-chan! The girl who sits two seats to my right!" I exclaimed; I had no idea she had a crush on Yuusuke. Mahoko nodded in affirmation, and opened my locker to read out one of my letters.

" _Sabrina-chan,  
I hope you didn't get much hurt – because you fell from the heavens, didn't you? I have a special place for an angel like you. Wanna hang out some time?  
Seiji_"

"Yucky! Those stupid flirting pick-up lines!" I cried in distaste. However, I grabbed the box of chocolates to which his note was stuck, and pulled off its lid. Assorted imported chocolates, huh? "At least the guy's got good taste in food." I said while unwrapping a piece, and pooped it in my mouth.

"It's good!" I said, and proceeded to throw the letter in dustbin, but Mahoko stopped me. "You can't hurt someone's feelings by trashing them like that!" Those were her enlightening words.

"But I don't know how to reply to that. See the number of cards in there? Am I gonna say a 'No' to everyone on their faces?" I asked her.

She tapped her chin in thought, and finally said, "Write something polite for them."

Result? I ended up sticking a piece of paper on Seiji's locker that said, "Nice chocolates." There others as well, and I could see that I had done it all wrong, because with each note I stuck, Mahoko either sighed or face-palmed. Examples...

'I like your handwriting.'

'The perfumed card was nice, tbh.'

'Thanks for the sweets!'

And the best one was: 'Correct your spellings. It isn't anpitication but anticipation. I guess a class seven student can spell that.' I couldn't help but be a grammar freak!

O~O~O

Narrator's POV

And there was the not-at-all-awaited evening. Lacking excitement, she lousily dressed up in a strapless royal blue dress which she had sported a thousand times before, to events ranging from parties and birthdays, to the rare trips in kitchen for whipping up a disaster cake. A white bead necklace to manage the neckline was the best idea, and so were the black flats to walk in. Hairstyle? Who does that! Definitely not Sabrina. With her tresses left open to wind about, she effortlessly carried herself to the fifth floor, to find the redhead already waiting for her.

"You like... good. I mean, really good." Yuusuke tripped over his tongue, but tried to avert his eyes in vain.

"Thanks!" She chirped. She didn't intend to get a compliment for that, but what's the harm in taking in some appreciation?

"Um, ready to go?" He reluctantly asked, and she reluctantly nodded. The exited the building together, as he was to drop her to the location, but not very far away was where they saw a blonde running towards them, shedding tears uncontrollably. Upon seeing them, she instantly ran into Sabrina's arms.

"What happened? Why are you crying?" Sabrina stroked the sobbing girl's hair as she looked up at the brunette, her innocent face stained with tears. "Sasakura..." Mahoko between sobs, "He... cheated on... me."

"That bastard!" Sabrina thundered, her aura getting darker as an evil grin spread across her face. "We'll teach him a lesson, okay? Yuusuke, come along." She said and dragged the struggling redhead with her.

"Let's just say that he's not gonna look at any other girl. Ever again." She maliciously said. Yuusuke and Mahoko gulped; they could see what was coming.

"Uh, are you gonna beat him up?" Yuusuke asked, and Sabrina smirked and answered, "That's the last part of my plan, dude."

"And what about your date?" Mahoko asked. The brunette let out a soft laugh and replied, "Do you think that I would still go to a shitty date when we have something so serious - and perhaps fun - going on here?"

O~O~O

"So how did you exactly come to know that he's cheating on you?" Sabrina absentmindedly asked, putting a few ingredients into her trolley – eggs, tomatoes, duct tape, and a bottle of ink.

In a hurt tone, Mahoko said, "I was on my way to his house, but in the way, I saw him kissing some girl in some lavish restaurant. I went in and slapped him, but he claimed that he didn't know me. I felt so bad..." She concluded with a whisper.

"Aw! Why did you go up to him? I mean, I had this idea that you call him up for a candle-light dinner at some isolated place, and you start telling him how you killed your exes who cheated on you by taking them to some forest or what, and then you say that the forest is very near, then you blow the candle and start laughing like a maniac. It's still okay, I have million other ideas." Sabrina said, and Mahoko actually regretted doing so.

"I expected this from you..." Yuusuke said, handling the trolley.

"Okay so here's the plan..." She said while bringing the items to the billing counter, "Yuusuke, you've gotta risk yourself here. So, according to Mahoko, he's not yet home, so you just need to make him faint. I'll handle the rest. Mahoko, you'll help me with the car wash. Are we clear?" They nodded.

 _Let the drums roll!_

The so-called _golden trio_ hid behind the blemished wall of the parking lot, impatiently waiting for a certain man to arrive. After long minutes of silently standing and peeping, the guy reached the forbidden area, and Yuusuke slowly tip-toed to his back, before slapping a hand on his mouth to shush him, and striking a stick on his head. Sasakura collapsed, and the females came running out from the dark.

Sabrina looked at him wickedly, rubbing her hands together. "Get me the duct tape, dear. I'm gonna make him regret being the player he is!" Mahoko hesitantly handled her duct tape, and she stuck large pieces onto the faint boy's limbs till he looked like a duct-tape-wrapped-mummy.

"I really want to see him remove those!" She said, and Mahoko called her, "What about the car wash?"

"Oh yes!" She instantaneously brightened up and made her way over to the shiny silver car. "Looks too good for a jerk like him... I'll change it accordingly!" She took out the eggs and tomatoes and smashed them mercilessly on the car. The other two just looked at her in utter shock as she laughed like a mad scientist.

"C'mon, wouldn't you two?" She invited them, offering them the eatables. They were tentative when they began, but soon enough got into it completely. She took out the ink bottle and wrote 'Cheater' on the windshield, 'Girls hate you, M-effer!' on the back side, and spilled the rest on the sides.

A couple of minutes later, the vehicle couldn't be actually classified as a 'car', if not considering its features.

She was soaked in sweat, but couldn't go away without writing swearing words on his face with a marker, and ringing his door bell. They ran away, all of them laughing.

Even though she didn't attend her date, it was so far her best Valentines' Day.

 **Bonus Scene**

Sasakura gained consciousness when a few uninvited drops of water were sprinkled on face. He gagged, and felt unusually constricted. In the background was her seven-year old sister's high-pitched voice, saying, "Nii-san! What happened to you? Are you a mummy?"

"Huh?" He didn't understand what she was saying, until he tried to move his limbs but failed. He looked at his arms and legs, and discovered that he had been taped up. Wow.

"What is that weird tattoo?" Her sister asked, reading his forehead, and he was once again perplexed. Seeing his visible confusion, she asked, "What does F*** you mean?" She inquisitively implored.

"What!? Don't say that again!" He shushed her, not intending to look at his own face after her sister had read out an example to him. He tried to remove the tape, _very slowly_ , but ended up whimpering.

The little girl, after seeing his brothers' condition, volunteered for helping him, "I'll help you!" She beamed, and pulled out a piece ruthlessly, not at all realizing the pain he was suffering. He let out a scream, but not wanting to show her that he was so _weak_ , he smiled, and laughed like it was nothing. His sister, thinking that he was enjoying it, went completely out of control as she drew out the pieces without a break, while he screamed.

"Aaarrghhh!"

* * *

 **The evil side of my character, quite similar to mine. Actually mine.**

 **Thank you guys for over 3K views! Can we lift the number of favs and follows, please? To do so, kindly click on the grey button on the beginning of the page that says 'Fav/Follow'. Or at the end, right below the review box. So kindly review as well!**

 **The next update will be up shortly!**

 **Diamond Shyn**


	28. Chapter 28: Cost of Past Deeds

**Red Diamond**

 **Early update! Chapter 28 is here!**

 **Sure you must've seen the name on the cover of the story, didn't you? Yeah, my name's Udeesha Arora, hoping to let everyone know it in the future!**

 **BTW, someone removed this story from his/her favs. Okay... I'm sad.**

 **But no, not exactly sad, all thanks to** **Lady Lucky Heartfillia** **for favoriting and following the story. Thanks a ton!**

 **So, my reply to a guest reviewer** **JustAGuest** **: Thanks for reviewing from a critical point of view. Although I don't think Sabrina is 'Mary-Sueish', but okay, you must have a different opinion. I'll try to improve the story! Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

 **And another reply to another guest reviewer** **Charu** **: It's not a bad idea. In fact, even I have this idea from a long time, and there will be something happening in the story regarding your opinion, but not now. The sequence will be near the end, and that will perhaps be the turning point of the story. Oops! Let out a bit too much!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Brothers Conflict or its characters, just my OCs. I, by no means, support the idea of evil through any future violent scenes. No part of the content is meant to offend or hurt anyone's sentiments.**

* * *

Chapter 28: Cost of Past Deeds

Sabrina's POV

It was, at last, the day of the Annual Fest, and all I could do was to hope for nothing to possibly go wrong; for example, Fuuto changes his mind, the song doesn't play, we don't dance in coordination, a sudden wardrobe malfunction, etc etc etc. The list was unending.

 _Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Let it sink in. Forget about the mess. Forget about everyone. Forget that life even exists. Just float with the thin air playing around you..._ I extended my arms sideways, closing my eyes, and following my mini-me's directions. The light breeze washed over my body – somewhat spoiling my hairstyle – and I took in deep breaths. Panicking wasn't usual for me.

 _This is not how you are. You are someone else._ "You say I'm not me?" I murmured. My moment of complacency was interrupted when a few cars parked by the other side of the gate. I suspected that it was the arrival of the Chairman of the institutions, and I ran back inside the green room.

The view in front of me was similar to that of a madhouse. The strong smell of perfume lingering in the air, noise made by those curlers and tools, and of course, the girls, and the most common thing displayed was the make-up kits scattered on the dressing tables. The floor was littered with heels and small-sized costumes in which no one could fit. I walked in carefully, not intending to step on anything, and with that, I reached to the girls group, happily chatting away, ignoring the condition of their little chamber. I wondered what would happen if a teacher decided to visit us there.

But I loved that madhouse.

"Okay! Okay! Here!" A member clapped his hands to get our attention. Those furiously applying blush on their faces stopped, as did the ones conversing.

"So," He began, "Our official first performance together, huh? Just do your best over there, stun all those who think that we can't dance, rip the stage apart, and yeah, all the best!" And he concluded.

 _Sure! Gonna rip the stage apart!_

Minutes later, we were in the backstage, lined up, for the next performance was ours, and Fuuto was still not there with us. I was silently waiting, praying for the ongoing speech to not end till the time Fuuto came. Who knows that he changed his mind? Or he didn't feel like coming? Or-

 _Relax! Nothing like that's gonna happen!_

"Haa? And where is he now?" I asked myself. And then the door opened, and the said man dramatically made an entry, like he always did. It usually happened that those entries always made me face-palm, and ask the reason for his existence, but for the first time ever, I was _relieved_ to see him.

He looked at me, and smirked. But I didn't care. I was glad that he didn't betray me at the last moment.

The announcement for us was made, and with a deep breath to suppress my mixed emotions of anxiety and excitement. The lights dimmed, and we immediately took up our positions. I could see that the students of our grade were also seated near the back. It didn't take me long to find Yuusuke and Mahoko. I turned, and followed the faint sound of three, two, one...

O~O~O

"Cheers!" All of us cried as the cans of coke clinked together. The dance had ended, and we were celebrating in the green room. Our first performance together had been marvelous, and I was actually looking forward to doing many more performances with them. Even Fuuto was adjusting and totally in character on the stage, contrary to what he had been during the practices – fussy.

We went to change into our original dresses, but I and Sakura were the ones to wait till the last to let everyone change first, because there were only two stalls available. The second a stall emptied, Sakura stood up and pleaded, "Um, I need to go first. I have an appointment with my dentist and I'm already late. Can I, please?"

"Sure, sure." I said, and she went inside. A couple of minutes later, she exited, thanking me, and went her way, while I entered. I changed into jeans and t-shirt, since it wasn't a regular working school day. I unlocked the door and pushed it open, but in a fraction of a second, a hand pulled me out before I could do so on my own, and I felt a pair of lips on mine, for a hard three to four seconds. I was startled to such an extent – I couldn't even comprehend what was going on with me before the culprit pulled away and gave me a chance to recognize his face.

And he was none other than my dance partner of the day.

Wasn't he a bit too courageous in school?

"What the hell!" I raise my hand to slap him, but he caught it mid-air, and said with a frown, "Don't ruin it... _please_." The last came out the quietest. _Wait; did he really say the word 'please'?_

I took my hand back, not understanding why he was suddenly saying 'please' to me. It was something he never said; not even as lyrics in his songs. I kept staring at his face in confusion, asking for an answer for the sudden change. Moments of silence passed with us just staring at each other. Suddenly, a frustrated expression formed on his face as he yelled, "Dammit!" And he walked away, not even sparing me another glance.

O~O~O

I was waiting for Yuusuke in the class. Mahoko had already dispersed, and some teachers had commanded Yuusuke and a few other guys to wind up the decorations of the hall. Half an hour had passed since I came inside to wait like a princess.

Patience was never in my nature; and I stood up and walked out of the classroom. I looked sideways and found Yuusuke stumbling with a mountain of boxes. "Hey..." He said with a smile, while trying to manage the heap.

"Look out!" I cried as he slipped, but I ran over to catch the falling the boxes just in time to save us from the mess. "Whoa! That was close!" Yuusuke sighed in amaze. I borrowed half his load, and both of us headed to the store room. Upon reaching the place, a box I was carrying fell down, and I sighed, "Shit."

I kept the rest aside and began collecting the mess of colorful bands that were scattered on the floor, and I told Yuusuke to get rest of the boxes while I was cleaning the mess, in order to save time. Once I was done with the work, the door behind me creaked open.

"Huh!" I heaved a breath of relief, thinking that it was Yuusuke who had entered the room, "That was sure some glittery stuff. How do they jus- Sasakura! Oh, um, hi." I turned, and was startled to see that my victim from last night was standing in front me, actually angry. There were red patches on his body, and no sign of body hair. I desperately tried to hold back my laughter.

"Weren't you the one who did this to me?" He asked; obviousness evident in his voice.

"Huh? What're you talking about?" I pretended to be blank.

"Don't fake it! It was you and that blonde bitch who did this to me and my car!" He practically yelled. And because he had insulted Mahoko, I raised my voice as well, "You deserved that! How dare you cheat on my friend and all those innocent other girls whom you dated? I mean, look at your taste – Minakami Natsuki! That silly junior! Ew!" He looked baffled for a second, but then angered even more and threw a piece of whatever-he-could-find-around at me, and I dodged the throw.

"C'mon, kid! Be a man! Come fight me!" I challenged him, balling my fists. He dashed towards me, and I delivered a perfect punch to his nose, and he fell back, holding his now-bleeding nose. Seizing the opportunity, I lunged at him, pinning him down, and began punching him, while he dodged a few coming to h8is face, but received many on his stomach. With his free hand, he twisted my arm, which was going right towards his eye. I struggled to get my hand out of his iron grip, and in the meantime, he picked up some iron rod lying nearby, and swung it, and struck me on my right leg with it (that's how I learnt that it is a _bad_ idea to pull up a fight in a store room), and I cried in pain. The door swing open again, and this time it was Yuusuke, who threw the boxes aside and rushed to my rescue.

He pulled me away from the bleeding guy, and before completely standing up, I hit him with my knee on his crotch. He screamed, and like the delicate guy he was, fainted.

Once, Yuusuke left his grip on me, I fell down. Why? Because I wasn't able to stand up. My right leg began hurting like hell, and I could've cried at the amount of pain. I was sure something had happened to my leg after receiving the blow from the iron rod. I tried to move it, but ended up whimpering in pure pain.

Yuusuke, seeing my condition, asked me if I was fine, and I replied, "No."

He scooped me up in arms in bridal style, and with a crimson face, he said, "Um, hold tight."

"Sure..." I wrapped my arms around his neck, and I couldn't help but blush as well. To make the situation lighter, before Yuusuke exited the room, I shouted at the unconscious Sasakura, "You should've sent one of your minions to fight with me! They could've done a better job!" And that was true.

The redhead took me to the nursing room of the school, where a sturdy, plump woman sat behind the large desk, in a room smelling like medicines. He put me on a stretcher nearest to the door and we asked for the nurse's help. She came to me, examined my leg my trying to move it, while I only screamed and whimpered and gasped, begging her to take her hands off me.

She tapped her chin, and reached for her phone to dial a number. She hadn't actually spoken a word since we came in, and heaving a frustrated sigh, Yuusuke asked her, "Can you tell me what the matter with her is?"

"My, my," She finally uttered something, while slowly dialing a number, "I think her bone is fractured."

* * *

 **Such a small chapter! But that's it. I've got too many assignments lined up for me.**

 **Please review, and add this story to your favs and follow! I would really appreciate that!**

 **And a question: Who do you think would be best paired up with Sabrina? Share your views through a review!**

 **Next update will be up so soon! Till then, please keep waiting!**

 **Yours Truly,  
Diamond Shyn **


	29. Chapter 29: Happily Injured

**Red Diamond**

 **And here's chapter 29, guys!**

 **There's this Indian festival called 'Raksha Bandhan', in which the sister ties 'rakhi' (a band) to her brother's wrist, who vows to protect her from all dangers and to never leave her side. Plus, the girls use this as an excuse to reject someone's proposal by brother-zoning them. So yes, a lot came into my mind for the story, but that wouldn't make sense, since they are eternally 'brother-zoned' for her – I feel so bad for them! Lol!**

 **Okay, and Happy Friendship Day to all of lovely readers (I know I'm late)! For that matter, I have another glimpse of the sequel in the second author's note.**

 **I was watching** _ **13 Reasons Why**_ **(yeah, too late, but #strictparents) and trust me... it's one of the best things I've ever seen! I highly, highly recommend it to all those who haven't watched it. I mean, the last episode got me crying like a baby!**

 **Yes, thanks a lot** **DiCuoreAllison** **,** **BloodyWings63** **, and** **Lunaconspiracy365** **for favoriting and following this story! And thanks a ton** **AzuraRayne** **for sharing your thoughts about the story! I'll definitely take them into consideration! Of course, my heartfelt gratitude to all those who have continued to read and review the story. You have no idea how much all this means to me!**

 **Now, on with the story! I hope you like the chapter!**

 **Song used: Oh ho ho ho from Hindi Medium. (Lyrics in the story. The description of the song in the second author's note)**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Brothers Conflict or its characters, or even the song, just my OCs and the plot. Also, I do not intend to harm anyone's sentiments through the content. Please understand that it is a work of pure fiction.**

* * *

Chapter 29: Happily Injured

Narrator's POV

"Yes, it is just as I feared. Her lower right leg is fractured." The old and frail man, called a doctor at his workplace, sighed as he read out the reports to Sabrina, Yuusuke, and Masaomi, who was the only one informed of the accident. Sabrina, sitting on the stretcher, breathed out a heavy sigh, making it audible to everyone on purpose.

"This has happened earlier as well, the only difference was that the leg was different." She shared, and frowned and said, "And trust me on this – it wasn't really fun to have a single leg."

"I advise that you should take her on a wheelchair." The doctor said, pointing to the folded article in the corner of the room, and she immediately denied, "Wait, no! I'm not that old to be carried around in a wheelchair!"

"But this is for your good, miss." The doctor reasoned.

"No no no! I'm not ready for this! I'd rather sprint back to the school's nurse!" She argued.

"Sabrina, just understand that he's the right on here." Yuusuke said. Masaomi only watched in silence.

"Hold my beer! I'll show him how we run!" She said, trying to stand up.

"No! Don't do that!" The doctor exclaimed as she jumped from the stretcher and landed on the floor, holding her foot, and making an expression that clearly said 'I want to cry but no I'm Iron Man and it doesn't hurt'. The rest stared at her in silence, with the old doctor sighing, Yuusuke extending a helping hand, and Masaomi just _smiling._

 _Oh, baby. The wheelchair suddenly looks pretty._

"Um, I guess I'll reconsider the chair." She nervously smiled up at the three men.

O~O~O

"Whoo! This is good!" Sabrina was rather amused by the chair as it was being pushed by Yuusuke. After a speedy ride, the wheels came to a halt as they stopped before the elevator. "Now we need to load this up on the elevator." Masaomi said, and both the males began lifting the wheelchair from both the sides, while she watched her surroundings elevate.

"I feel like a freaking queen now!" She exclaimed, and when she was brought into the little compartment, her chair was again kept on the ground.

"And now I'm down to earth!" She chuckled.

The door to the fifth floor opened, and they wheeled her forward. Upon the shrilly sound made by the contact of wheels with the metal of the elevator, heads turned to their direction.

"Heya!" She beamed from the top of the staircase. They immediately stood up and rushed over to them, but Masaomi stopped them midway, saying, "It's okay! She's fine!" Yet, Wataru approached her and stood beside her, and with a concerned frown, he asked, "Are you fine?" She nodded, curving her lips into a small smile.

"But what happened to her?" Tsubaki asked.

"Well, that's something even I don't know. How did you end up like this, Sabrina?" Masaomi asked, and all eyes were on her. Her smile faded away, and she helplessly looked at Yuusuke, and he shrugged, because he had entered the room when the show was about to end.

"Umm..." She was uncertain on how to begin with her story, "There's this guy who ditched my friend Mahoko, so Yuusuke, Mahoko, and I taught him a lesson on Valentines' Day. So, he came to give me a payback when I was alone, and I challenged him to fight with me. He was really bad, I'm telling you, but he used some shitty rod or what to hit on my leg, and that's when Yuusuke walked in and separted both of us. Oh, and he fainted!"

"Wow." Iori remarked at the end, "I mean, wow."

"Thanks!" She accepted his 'appreciation' gratefully.

"That's brave. Aren't we proud of our imouto-chan?" Kaname said, and the rest agreed. Wataru, out of his puerile curiosity, gently touched her leg with his finger, and drew it back in an instant. "Does it hurt?" He innocently asked.

"No, it doesn't! Nothing can hurt sissy!" She cooed him.

O~O~O

Nothing was interesting. Nothing at all. The posters were nothing but a nice sight to look at, but after a few minutes, it seemed boring. Boring, as it was. It totally sucks when you cannot even get up on your own to walk or dance. She tried finger tutting, but after a while her fingers began to hurt.

And the cure to her boredom was only one...

Bollywood songs.

She played those Punjabi party songs, and it was no more a gloomy atmosphere. In fact, she felt nostalgic as well as energetic. How could she forget a delight such as Bollywood? As the music sounded on full volume, she began singing along:

"~ _Taare gin gin yaad 'ch teri  
Main taan jaagan raatan nu  
Rok na pavan akhiyon vichon  
Gham diyan barsatan nu~" _

While sitting on her chair she commenced doing _bhangra_ , and she totally enjoyed it. Someone knocked on her door, and she yelled in the midst of the loud beats, "Come in!"

Iori walked in, and was surprised to see a so-called injured person dancing. He stopped at the door. "Hi." He uncertainly said.

"Hey!" She exclaimed, as if the greeting was some sort of news. He was taken aback to see such an energetic _patient_. That was new.

"I, well, wanted to ask if you needed anything. I think I got my answer." Iori said and turned to go back, but Sabrina called out, "Iori-san!"

"Yes?"

"Wanna dance?" She said, gently bobbing her head to the beats in the background.

"I... don't know how to dance. I don't even know the song." He said, trying to escape from the madhouse. She lowered the sound and smiled and said, "Dance is never taught. It comes to us as naturally as breathing." Iori looked at her sheepishly, and she said, "I can teach you what to do on this one."

"I think I can do that." Iori said, and she happily turned up the volume. Music blasted:

" _~Oh ho ho ho!  
Oh ho ho ho!~_"

"'Kay, so just throw your hands up, no control," She directed, and he followed, "And then, do whatever you want!"

"Whatever?"

"Whatever! Have no control!" She exclaimed in the deafening music. Iori initially felt awkward, but soon that feeling evaporated, especially when the girl beside him was dancing like there was no tomorrow, like her life depended on those moves. They weren't exactly moves, he pondered, because she was flailing her arms like she was fighting with _air._ But that was adorable.

He began enjoying it, and as the song came to an end, the music faded away, and only their laughter echoed in the room. Iori sat on the bed, breathless. He had never felt so... crazy in his entire life. "I've never lost control over myself." He remarked.

"And was the experience good?" She asked with sparkling eyes, expecting a big 'yes'.

"Yes!"

"I told you!" She said, leaning back on her chair, crossing her arms, and smirking, "You should do that more often."

"But that sure was crazy."

"Man, you are only confined by the walls you build yourself. Have fun! Don't need to be all disciplined the whole time." She said, and after a short pause, whispered, "Though I really like your princely style."

He smiled, and said, "Call me if you need anything." He walked towards the door, and from behind him, she said, "I guess I'll need a dance partner very soon." Both of them grinned, and he exited the room. It was a while since he had felt so refreshed.

 _A while since Fuyuka left him, forever._

" _You don't need to be all disciplined the whole time, Iori-kun." That sweet voice said, giggling, and added, "Though I really find your princely style attractive."_

He brushed that sweet smile away, that syrupy voice away. Why, after such a long time, was he reminded of that girl again? That girl who stole his heart, and left a scar behind.

Yet, there was a rise of another sensation in heart; something that resulted in him suddenly feeling torn. Torn between what? He wasn't able to figure out – similar to millions of souls who seek the answer to the same question.

Sighing, he walked on, surprisingly unsure of what to do next.

* * *

 **That's the end of this chapter. I know, too short, but I have a lot of stress over assignments and stuff. Moreover, it was to fulfill my reviewer** **Charu** **'s request. Otherwise, too, I wanted a scene between them, to weave their story. I hope I didn't disappoint you there!**

 **For those who don't know who Fuyuka is – she is Iori's girlfriend in the manga, who died in a car accident. I decided to use the character here. You'll get to know more about her and Iori's relationship in the future chapters.**

 **Punjabi lyrics:-** **taare gin gin yaad 'ch teri  
main taan jaagan raatan nu  
rok na paavaan ankhiyaan vichon  
gham diya barsaataan nu  
**  
 **Meaning:- counting stars when remembering you** **  
** **I stay awake in nights.** **  
** **I can't stop the rain of sadness** **  
** **in my eyes...**

 **Okay, but I really like the beats.**

 **And as promised, the sequel teaser:**

" _ **You cannot handle her. Haven't you seen that malevolent smile of hers? She can choke you without sparing you a second thought."**_

' _ **Everyone could see the madness in her smile, but no one could see the sadness in her eyes.'**_

 **Haha, that's it. See you next time, with a comparably longer chapter!**

 **Adios!  
Diamond Shyn **


	30. Chapter 30: Of Movies and Pictures

**Red Diamond**

 **Heya! Can you believe that we're already on chapter 30?! I mean, didn't we just begin three months ago?**

 **This is my first multi-chapter story, and I totally love the experience of writing this way. Especially with you guys, because without you, I'm no one. Thanks a lot for all the favs and follows and reviews! I'm happy and blessed, sitting here right now, typing, because of you! A shout-out to all those who helped and supported me in this journey - to all the readers, reviewers, followers,** _ **favoriters**_ **(nice word, Miss Shakespeare!) and all those people ever! Love ya!**

 **Reply to my reviewer** **Charu** **: I'll try to add Hikaru, because he's a character meant for something deep and humorous. And you don't need to apologize! The only thing that 'you are into my story' made my day! Thank you! 3**

 **Iori was a bit OOC in the last chapter, I know, but for a reason. You'll get to know further in the story.**

 **AAAAAND ANOTHER BIG NEWS! GUESS, WHAT? THIS STORY IS ON WATTPAD! You can go and vote and comment on the site (I'm with the username** **CoffeeArtist** **there) and also read MY ORIGINAL STORY** _ **Withered Rose**_ **, and also vote and comment (it's also on Wattpad)! I'd love your participation! I'm waiting here in anticipation!**

 **Plus, I have made an account on with the same username (** **Diamond Shyn** **) and uploaded a poem. Do read it! (No big expectations here. Read if you want!) Another thing, I'm trying to make a slideshow-trailer for the story and upload on YouTube. I'm still working on clearing the files from my system, making some space for the new version of Adolf Flash Player. Guess it'll take some time!**

 **And this chapter is once again, romantic. My friends, when they heard that I write romance as well, were in pure shock. I can still remember their faces in the quiet library and laugh! Their mouths hung open, one of the guys behind my bestie laughing as if I told them a joke, and one of them coughing, AND of course, one of them asking me, "Aha? Whom do you think of when you write those things?" I told her to take her mind out of the gutter – and get lost!  
Oh, how I wanted to slap that girl!  
The librarian had to push me outside the library. **

**Disclaimer: I absolutely do not own the anime Brothers Conflict or its characters, but the plot and my OCs. The content doesn't intend to hurt anyone's sentiments.**

* * *

Chapter 30: Of Movies and Pictures

Sabrina's POV

A dozen days had passed since I placed my bottom on the wheelchair. I swear it had been a boring experience all-together... well, only when I was alone. Otherwise, my brothers didn't let me bore even once.

However, this time, I was up to doing some good – at least for once. I was watching Shah Rukh Khan's movie _Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge_ on my computer, and yes, I had no chance to be bored.

"Bade bade deshon main aisi chhoti chhoti baatein hoti rehti hain, Senorita (These little-little things keep occurring in such vast countries, Senorita)" Came his youthful, mellow voice, totally calming my senses. There was the reason why I was his fan. I hooted when the next melodious tune came.

After w little while, I felt like imitating his signature pose, so I tried to stand up on my own with those thick bandages wrapped around my slim foot, restricting any possible movement. _Oh, why aren't these flexible!_

I paused the movie, not intending to miss any scene because of my struggles, and stumbled with the nightstand while attempting to let my foot touch the ground. When it finally did, I, like a moron, happily put up that 'Oh, I'm so freaking smart!' face, and with smooth movements, put my other foot on the ground too, and then let go of the nightstand I was holding on to.

And there I went.

"Ow!" I cried, as I fell down on the ground, and my so-called injured foot bending underneath me. Technically I was sitting on the rolls of doctors' tape, under which, my foot was buried. "Hey!" I shouted for help, but no one was on the floor, perhaps. I kept sitting in that position, looking as if I was doing yoga, but actually tolerating the pain.

It stopped hurting after a few minutes, and I silently sat there, staring at the paused face of Shah Rukh Khan, in the midway of doing his signature pose. _Unfreeze the frame! Noooooo!_

"I need the goddamned remote!" To resume it, obviously. I was far more concerned for the movie than my foot. At least I was sure that it hadn't completely fallen off!

I reached out for the remote on the opposite side of the bed, and I couldn't reach it. I struggled hard, yet my hand couldn't even touch its corners. _You cannot overgrow your hands. Or can you?_

Retreating, I sighed. That's when I heard the voice of my savior in the hallway.

"Open the door, Tsubaki! Are you even in there?!" Natsume furiously banged on Tsubaki's door. I couldn't possibly get my voice across the place (maybe?), so I picked up my phone from the nightstand and dialed his number. While hearing the ring, a thought struck my head – I could've called someone to rescue me from my distressed condition.

"Hello?" His voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Oh, hey Natsume. I was wondering if you could just come to my room to help me." I asked.

"Okay, I'm here." He said, and the next second, the door opened to reveal Natsume in his usual formal-but-informal-styled suit. He looked at me, perplexed, and asked, "What's the matter? Why are you sitting here?"

"I needed that remote." I pointed to the item on the bed. He looked at me skeptically, before noticing my wheelchair, and realizing what the situation was.

"Hey!" He immediately said; uncharacteristic panic in his voice. He picked me up bridal style, "Are you okay?" He asked, placing me on the bed and examining me for any injuries.

"Whoa, man, I'm good." I said, holding his shoulders, looking at him.

"Are you going to tell me how all this happened?" He crossed his arms against his chest.

"Well, long story short, I kinda beat up a guy, and he hit me with an iron rod or something. And about that floor-is-not-lava thingy, I just fell down. I actually called for help, but no one was probably up here." I explained, and he cupped my cheek in concern.

"Thankfully you are fine." He said, reflecting care. It felt so nice to be with him. I put my hand over his with which he was holding my face, and smiled. "Thanks." I softly said.

"For what?"

"Coming here." I replied, removing his hand from my face. He stood up and began to leave, but I stopped him there and asked for a movie. He hesitantly agreed, and there I went, describing the story of the movie. Also, I turned on the captions for him to understand the dialogues. We both sat on the bed, with me comfortable leaning back against the headboard, the barrier between the wooden board and me being the pillows.

"Hmm, it's interesting." Natsume sarcastically said, and I hit him with a pillow. He chuckled as he received the light blow. A few minutes later, when all left in the movie was romantic lines, I started feeling dizzy. A sleepy feeling washed over me, and I had no idea when I fell asleep.

Narrator's POV

Natsume watched her as her eyelids shut, and she fell into a complete state of unconsciousness. He didn't know why, but he smiled at her, and reduced the volume of the system. He covered her with a sheet, and kissed her forehead. She looked so vulnerable in her state, yet so lovable. He kept staring at her face for long minutes, before unfortunately remembering why he had come there in the first place, and walked out of the room, turning off the lights.

O~O~O

She woke up, groaning, and realized that the movie was long over, and that it was already dusk. She looked around her and saw that Natsume had left. Upon moving herself to get out of the bed, she noticed that there was a sheet spread across her body. She smiled, thinking that it was obviously Natsume, and carefully sat on the wheelchair.

She wheeled to the elevator, closed her ears with her hands while wheeling into the compartment because of the screechy noise, and repeated the act while exiting the elevator and entering the fifth floor.

"Onee-chan! Look what we have!" Wataru came running to her with her own camera in his hands. She reminisced that she had lend him her camera for a wildlife photography session. He helped her wheel to the center of the hall, and upon reaching; she got a view of the mess made on the coffee-table. On the table were the printed pictures of the camera, scattered.

"Wow!" She exclaimed and picked up the ones she clicked on the Fuuto's first day of high school. "Why are these printed?" She couldn't help but ask.

"Wataru had to get the printed photos of the animals he snapped, but Yuusuke got all of these printed." Masaomi said, and beside him, Ukyo handed her a picture, saying, "This looks very nice."

She took the photograph from his hands, and Azusa too, looked at the picture with her. It was from Ukyo's birthday, in which Subaru was looking disinterested, Tsubaki winking, Yuusuke agitated and Azusa simply smiling. The black-haired twin commented, "I know why Yuusuke was angry, but what happened to Subaru there?" All of them looked at Subaru, and he averted his eyes, blushing, and complained, "Why target me?"

"Who's being targeted without me?" Tsubaki said, leaning on the doorjamb. "Shut up, Tsubaki. You aren't helping." Subaru retorted. The said twin stepped down the stairs and reached over to the party. Sabrina picked up Yuusuke's single photo and said, "That's handsome." She showed the picture to the rest, and Yuusuke's face flushed. Kaname shifted close to her and whispered I her ear, "Hey, it were only you, me, and the camera, I could go nude as long as you want." Her eyes widened and she shyly whispered back, "Certainly not."

"So Yuusuke actually poses for photographs?" Tsubaki teased, and Yuusuke protested, "No! That was just... urgh! Shut up!" Everyone else laughed.

"I guess these should go inside an album. Rather, be framed." Masaomi suggested, and she chirped up, "Really?"

"Yes, no one actually bothered to take group photos after mom went busy, so it'll actually be refreshing for the walls, I guess." He reasoned, and she said, "Guess I'm lucky."

"I'll go search for a Mom's old frames." He said.

O~O~O

"A little dusty, but yes..." He handed over the stack of frames to Sabrina, while she blew over the dust on them.

"And guess what I found." Masaomi turned and revealed a pile of photo albums, presumably not very old, yet a bit dusty. "That's great!" She said, and both of them brought the pile to the centre table.

"How did you even manage to find these?" Azusa asked, surprised by the discovery, "Mom kept it hidden away."

"Not exactly hidden, but locked." Ukyo said, examining the top-most album. Sabrina picked up the second one, which happened to be containing mostly Yuusuke's photographs. Her sight landed on one of his infant photos, and she said, "Awwie! That's baby Yuusuke, isn't it? He's so cute!"

"He was." Tsubaki corrected her.

"What else do you have in there!?" Yuusuke asked, alarmed.

"Look what I found." Subaru said, holding a blurred picture. Upon examining it carefully, it was declared that it was one of the twins.

"It's rare to have their photo – alone, that is." Kaname stated, and Azusa remembered, "Tsubaki must've clicked it when I wasn't looking. I don't remember clicking any of his."

"I found it loose in the pages. Maybe mom couldn't bring herself to discard the photo." Subaru said.

"It's already blurred." Yuusuke commented.

"Chill, I was a _kid_ back then." Tsubaki emphasized on the word 'kid', "Besides, it has got a certain style to it."

"Sure it has. Similar to mine." Sabrina agreed, holding the imperfect picture, "It has got some beauty to it. Moreover, what matters is the memory behind it, not the perfection or sharpness of the snap."

"Yes, it does." Masaomi said. There was a moment of silence in the room.

"Mom did the right thing by storing it. If I were her, I would've done the same. It's priceless." Sabrina said after a long pause.

"You can keep it if you want." Azusa suddenly said, and everyone snapped their heads in his direction. "Huh?" Sabrina asked, and he blushed.

"No, it isn't like that." He explained, but Sabrina cut him off, "I would love to keep it." He blushed harder.

"Thanks." She said, and before Azusa could answer, his twin clung to him and slowly teased, "Well well, what do we have here? Are you trying to steal her heart away?"

"No Tsubaki! It's nothing like that!" Azusa denied, but Tsubaki teased even more, "Don't lie, you sly dog!"

"What's going on there?" Sabrina curiously asked the twins, and Tsubaki replied, "Nothing at all."

I guess we should keep all these photos you've clicked in an album." Ukyo suggested.

"Sure! I'll do it! I'm basically out of job these days." Sabrina gladly volunteered.

O~O~O

The dinner had been eaten, the plates were being washed, and most of them were off to do their own business. But Sabrina had to meet Subaru. She couldn't bear it whenever she entered the room and saw Subaru looking at her with questioning eyes, asking if she had the answer yet. She stopped him when she saw him about to return to his room.

"Stop!" She called out. He turned and asked, "What happened?" Now what should she say? She had dug a hole for herself to fall in. Without actually thinking about anything, she spoke, "Wanted to talk to you about... you know, the asking out thingy."

"Yes." She now had his full attention. She looked up at him, and then said, "Can you please, like, kneel down? I can't talk to you with my neck like that." He was too tall.

When he finally sat on the adjacent sofa, she began, clearing her throat, "Uhm, so, I just wanted to say that... um, you are really good, but I don't actually have any plans to be in a relationship-"

"So, you're rejecting my proposal?" Subaru tensely asked.

"No! I mean, I need some time to respond. But till then, can we keep it going frank?"

"Absolutely." He said, and both of them smiled.

"Thanks a ton for understanding me!" She said with a huge grin, and he blushed. But unbeknownst to them, there was a third person eavesdropping to their conversation. A pang of jealousy struck his heart, as he looked at the couple, green-eyed. He wasn't supposed to be there, but couldn't stop himself when he heard the voices.

His eye twitched, and he was sure of what he had to do next. He was aware of his feelings now. He wanted to express it all to her, to let her know how he felt about her. The only hindrance in his way was their relation – of being step-siblings. But that no longer mattered, did it?

"Dang," Tsubaki said, "That bastard has already started making moves on her." His phone rang, and he absentmindedly picked it up.

"Hello?" He said.

"Hey, it's Azusa." The voice from the other end spoke.

"Hmm"

"I want you to practice the scripts with me tonight. Is eleven fine?"

"Yes..." He vaguely agreed, not even listening to what the other had to say.

O~O~O

"Soooo, this one? Or this one here?" She talked to herself, judging the two photographs in her hands and trying to choose one. The dimly lit hall was supposed to be scary, but her uncontained excitement didn't give her a chance to look for ghosts.

"This one, I guess." She chose Fuuto's photo and inserted it, and below it, decided to stick that picture which Azusa gave her.

When she was about to insert it into the album, a voice said, "Hey1 What are you doing here at this time of the night?"

"Couldn't stop myself form making this!" She excitedly said. When she saw the rolled script in his hand, she immediately said, "Oh, and I shouldn't be interrupting your rehearsal." She began clearing up the mess she had made. While doing so, she kept Azusa's photo separately for not letting it get mixed with the rest. Tsubaki saw that and was jealous again. "You're keeping that photo as if it is your boyfriend's."

"Huh? What? No." She said. "I-"

"Can't you understand? I need you dammit!" He suddenly confessed. Sabrina was taken aback by the sudden outburst.

"Tsubaki-san?"

"I apologize for the way I've acted before. I was selfish, and my selfishness hurt you. But time stopped the first time I kissed you." He kneeled down to her level and gripped her shoulders.

"Umm..." She had nothing to say to that. He suddenly left her and said, "What a stupid script."

"Of course... How can I be so gullible?" She chuckled at her foolish self, but it wasn't when Tsubaki out of the blues embraced her. "Now I won't pretend. I won't lie." He said, "I meant that kiss. It wasn't a mistake or a spur of the moment thing. That's my true side." He cupped her cheek, "Here, let me prove it to you." He said and pressed his lips against hers, but she gently pushed him away. All that was so awkward for her. How could her _stepbrother_ kiss her?

She looked back at him with a red face, and observed that his eyes were cloudy. She didn't utter another word, but wanted to escape as soon as she could before the situation got out of hand. Instead, Tsubaki picked her up bridal style and carried her to the nearest couch, and laid her on it. He placed his legs beside her on the couch, hovering above her.

"I love you." He stated, cupping her cheek, and brushing away the strands of her hair falling on her face, "I adore you. I want you to be mine, and only mine." With that, he kissed her to claim her as his own. But she wouldn't budge. She did not give in that kiss. She held his shirt tight, trying to pull him off her, but perhaps he was way stronger than her. He kissed her hard, and after a lot of effort to defend herself, she finally lost the power and closed her eyes, yet did not give in. She anticipated that it would be over soon, because every single thing that was happening between the two of them was wrong. Was that how the relationship of stepsiblings was supposed to be?

Suddenly, she felt the weight over her reduce, till she was free. She opened her eyes to see that it was Azusa who had roughly grabbed the collar of Tsubaki's jacket and lifted him off her.

"What the hell were you doing?" Azusa thundered.

"How does it matter to you? And why are _you_ here now?" Tsubaki questioned, obviously angered that his precious moment was disrupted by his twin.

"Of course you wouldn't remember about the talk we had an hour ago, would you?" Azusa asked, and on a deeper thought, Tsubaki remembered fragments of their phone call. He lowered his head in defeat, yet not convinced by how the situation was taking a turn. Sabrina managed to sit up and straighten her night dress.

"Why don't we return our rooms? Looks like we've already had enough excitement for one night." Azusa mocked in an admonishing tone, directing it to Tsubaki.

Tsubaki picked up his share of script and brisk-walked to the end of the staircase, incensed how his moment was ruined. He didn't turn back to face them, but said, "Good night..." Crushing the papers in his hands. After he was gone, Azusa looked back at Sabrina with soft eyes, and noticed how she wasn't looking back at him but staring at the ground. She had her lips parted, and probably was letting out a light sigh, but her pretty face framed by her unmanaged locks, enhanced with the effect of moonlight was too alluring for him. He partly understood why Tsubaki had committed such an act.

He coughed, prying his attention of her, and brought her wheelchair to the couch. "You should go to your room too." He quietly said, and she immediately looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with innocence. Yet, that was tempting for him. He shook his head in reluctance, and said in a barely audible voice, "I cannot be a hypocrite." Sabrina looked up at him in confusion, but gradually understood what he meant. Her eyes widened bit by bit, wishing how it wasn't what she thought. But she was apparently wishing for the inevitable.

"Dammit, I'm just like him." He cursed, and she gasped. He looked back at her and they locked eyes, with his pair in desperation and hers in utter shock. "No..." She whispered.

Yes, it was enough excitement for the short night.

* * *

 **OOOOOHHHHH THEY KISSED AGAIN! I'm fangirling like anything!**

 **And finally another confession! I had been waiting for this moment since I don't remember how long, and here we are! Now, we'll see how I'll get my second fav couple confession in the next-to next, or maybe next to the next-to-next chapter. Just know that I'm hurrying things up!**

 **NOTE: the updates may take time, like one chapter after a gap of three weeks, since the second round of my exams are commencing from the first week of September and we have double the syllabus this time! Plus, who can forget the insane assignments?! I was so out of sleep – like, sleeping for five hours in forty-eight hours – that I literally broke out crying at the last piece of bread in the serving bowl, because no one had eaten it. Poor thing was so alone! In short, I mean the sleep-deprivation thing and stress has been taking a toll on my writing and non-existent schedules.**

 **My friends read my story, and they were like, "Oh god!" And I was like, "Yes, god!" They're still at fifteenth chappie!**

 **Don't forget to review, fav, and follow, and read my original story on Wattpad! Looking forward to some amazing responses! (Also, wish me luck for my PTM tomorrow!)**

 **Yours Truly,  
Diamond Shyn**


	31. Chapter 31: Best Buddy, Doc!

**Red Diamond**

 **Hello guys! And we're on the 31st chappie! EARLY UPDATE ON MY FRIEND'S DEMAND! Thank her, not me!**

 **Thank you for all the reviews! It was hard to get this chapter out this early. As you know, exams and assignments and exams and assignments and...**

 **Phew! I'm so stressed right now. I've never been this exhausted in all my life. I mean, I'm handling writing and studies and all the life's drama singlehandedly. Okay, so let's not self-pity here.**

 **Thank you** **apoorvas2411** **for favoriting and following the story as well as me! ;)**

 **A big shout-out to my peers –** **Neha** **,** **Reya** **,** **Apoorva (apoorva2411)** **, and** **Tanvi** **for reading my story! THANK YOUUU!**

 **Let's get on to the story! I hope you like it!**

 **Disclaimer: Me: I guess I own the anime now!  
Also me: You? Anime? Hah, you don't! Do you even own a brain?  
Guess I don't – Hey, I'm talking about the anime here!**

* * *

Chapter 31: Best Buddy, Doc!

Sabrina's POV

 _Oh my god._

 _Oh My God._

 _OH MY GOD!_

 _OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD...!_

"Wait there!" I shouted, but there went my mini-me.

 _OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODDIDHEACTUALLYKISSYOUHOWCOULDYOULETHIMOHSHITOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD...!_

"That's enough! I did not let him!" I yelled, and waited for some more drama. Surprisingly, there was no voice ringing in my head then. I breathed out a sigh of relief and slowly said, "I did not let him kiss me. He did. You vanished!"

 _I did, and I'm sorry for that. But what exactly did happen?_

Was she asking this to herself? What happened between them? Why did he kiss her out of nowhere? "I..." don't know – that's what she was going to say, but couldn't. She had to know why that happened. He said he loved her. Wait...

He said he loved her!

Oh freak!

 _That's a joke, isn't it?_

"Let it be a joke, please!" She clasped her hands, and prayed hard in anxiety. How could a brother fall in love with a sister? Even Subaru had asked her out. Was she failing her duty as a sister? She prayed her situation to be a prank on her, or some kind of illusion through which they had to snap out of.

It seemed so bizarre.

O~O~O

"Good morning, onee-chan!" Wataru chirped. It was a nice way to start the day with. Wheeled in by Yuusuke, I was seated on the dining table where Ukyo-san was currently serving the breakfast to us all. I noted that the wins weren't there. _Be thankful that he isn't here!_

Yes. I wheeled over to the kitchen to Ukyo-san to help him with the bowls.

"You don't need to do this." He protested, but I grabbed the big bowl from the counter.

"Please, let me do it. I haven't been cooking with you for awhile. I really feel guilty for putting all the responsibilities back on your shoulders." I said. He smiled and said, "No, that's okay. Just be fit and fine again so that we can work together again."

"That's a promise." Even I wanted to ditch the chair, but I couldn't. With the bowl in my lap, I began wheeling to the main table. Right at that moment, Tsubaki entered the room. We would've bumped into each other if it wasn't for that last moment when he grabbed a hold of himself.

"Hey, are you okay?" He hurriedly asked, and I replied, not looking directly at him, "Y-yes."

"Let me help you to the table." He said, and held the handles at the back of my wheelchair. We went on in silence, till I remembered that Azusa had not yet come.

"Um, where's Azusa-san?" I asked him, looking up at his face, and I realized that even his eyes were a bit puffy. It looked like he hadn't slept well.

"I don't know." He said, lost into his own world, staring at the handles. He paused for a second, before continuing. Once we were all at the table, with the exception of Azusa, Kaname asked, "Tsubaki, where's Azusa?"

"Who knows..." He said, picking at his food. The others noticed his atypical behavior as well, but Ukyo answered to Kaname's question, "He informed me that he had to go to the studio for earlier than usual today."

"What happened, Tsubaki? Did you and Azusa have a fight?" Masaomi asked, and the white-haired man suddenly rose from his table. "I'm done. Need to go to the studio as well." He left his food on the table and departed.

"What's up with him? This doesn't happen usually." Yuusuke remarked after Tsubaki was out of sight, and Subaru said, "Right. As long as I can remember, they haven't squabbled since they were fourteen." One wouldn't believe how guilty I felt. _I_ was the one because of whom the inseparable twins were fighting. _I_ was the one because of whom these differences were made. _I_ was the culprit. As the others finished their meal, I sunk deeper and deeper into my depression, blaming myself for the situation.

"Sabrina?" Yuusuke waved a hand in front of my face to snap me out of my trance, "Now what happened to you?"

"I, uh, couldn't sleep well last night."

"Why? Fine?"

"Yes, just slept too much in the day. I don't even have anything to do."

"I see." Yuusuke eventually had to go, and I was again left alone to think about my condition.

O~O~O

I was wheeling down the corridor, intending to go to Masaomi's room for the next appointment to my doctor, when suddenly the front wheel of my chair bumped, and I was bounced off my seat and sent flying to the front wall. I closed my eyes, ready for the bang, but as if on a reflex, I jumped on my left leg and spread out my arms to the sides. Because of that, I ended up with my face centimeters away from the wall.

"Phew!" I breathed out, and I tried straightening up from my bending position, but I realized that I had, by mistake, placed by right foot as well on the ground. I was too nervous to try walking with my foot, but I actually looked like someone elderly trying to stand straight. It must've seemed comical to someone watching me, but fortunately there was no one.

 _Why do these accidents keep happening with you?_

"I don't know, but okay, I need to get to my wheelchair." I said and turned to see that my wheelchair had tilted, and there was no way that I was going to bring back that thing to its normal position. So, I remained like that for a couple of seconds, before calling out for Masaomi on my highest pitch, "Masaomi-san!"

Not even a minute later, his door opened, and he rushed over to me. "How did you end up like this?" He asked, holding both of my hands, giving me a support.

"I, err, wanted to come to your room to ask for the next appointment." I said, and then I immediately exclaimed, "Wait! Can I walk this way!?"

"What?" He asked, puzzled.

"I'm standing, so can I walk?"

"No, not at all."

"Please! Just once! I need to try!"

"I'm not sure-"

"Puh-leeaase!" I begged, still holding his hands. He thought for a moment, before hesitantly agreeing to my pleas.

"Yay!" I rejoiced, and _very_ slowly tried to take a step. It was a teeny step, and I did feel a little pain as well, but I knew I wouldn't fall, since Masaomi was holding me. He came behind me and held me by one of my shoulders, and took the other hand, and said, "Tell me if it hurts."

"Okay." I said, and I again dragged by foot, and then lifted it off the ground to take a step.

"Ow! It does!" I cried after a couple of bigger ones, and he made me sit on my now-straight wheelchair.

"When are we going to see the doctor again?" I asked him, and he took out his phone to make a call. A minute later, he said, "This evening."

"Perfect."

O~O~O

"Does it hurt?" The doctor said, moving my foot he had un-bandaged, and I shook my head. He wrote something on some white sheets, and I repeated the process with my foot from a different angle. I again, shook my head.

"Looks like she's better now." He declared, and behind him, Masaomi nodded. He continued, "I believe she'll be able to walk by next week."

"Really?" I exclaimed. How I missed the feel of the cold ground on my rough foot!

"Yes, and you can practice walking." The doctor said.

"And I don't need the wheelchair anymore?" I asked, and he replied, "No you don't."

"Yay! Thank you!" I exclaimed, and tried to get off the stretcher, but before I could completely get off it, he stopped me, and said, "Not yet. You still need a stick."

"A stick? What am I? A seventy-year old lady?" I asked, folding my arms.

"No, but you still need some support."

"What are the walls for?"

"No, they won't do."

"They will."

"They won't."

"They will."

"I said they won't!"

"And I said they will!"

"Christ! What kind of a person are you? Making a doctor yell?!"

"Gosh! What kind of a doctor are you? Making a patient suffer?!"

"Holy lord!"

"Holy water!"

The doctor held his head in his hands, as Masaomi went after him to console him. "What are you?" He cried.

"I'm a smurf!" I retorted.

"Oh God!" He said, and then I realized that he was the one curing me, so I had to show some respect. But I wanted to have fun with him, so I got off the stretcher and limped to where he was, and put an arm around the fragile man's neck. With that, I whispered into his ear, using a very frank tone, "Oh doc! Aren't we best buddies?" He appallingly shook his head, refusing me, yet I continued, "Aw! You broke my heart!"

Masaomi coughed from behind, but I could hear a muffled laugh. I whispered again, "Okay, so we are going to do just as I say, because I'm the boss!"

"Excuse me, miss-"

"Or I'll send my goons on you!" He looked horrified. He gulped and said, "Do as you like."

"Yay, doc! My best buddy, aren't you now?" I enthusiastically asked, patting him on his back, and he nodded nervously.

"Adios, buddy! May we never see each other again!" I waved at him, exiting the cold chamber, and I heard him mutter, waving back at me, "That'll be a blessing."

O~O~O

Yuusuke choked on his rice, and after a chain of coughs, he asked with wide eyes, "You really threatened the doctor?"

"Kinda... he wasn't complying with me." I said with a smug look. Masaomi had described the incident at the dinner table, and I wasn't expecting such reaction.

"Imouto-chan is really fierce." Kaname mentioned.

"Oh, so I am." I was feeling better to see the twins at the dinner table, sitting together. Still, they weren't very chatty, but I was okay as long as there were no arguments. I knew I had to clear things up, but before that, I had to think how to do that.

The dinner was over soon, and I had to walk to get back to my room. I placed my hand firmly on the table, and the other gripped the chair, and I stood up. It looked like an act of bravery. Then, I took a nice small step with my right leg, and then with my left one. After a couple more, I was far away from the table, and was skidding off my hands across the walls.

"Here, let me help you." Someone held my shoulders. I turned my head to see that it was Azusa.

"Thanks." I said, and he gently held my arm. We took a few slow steps, and by the time we reached the elevator, Tsubaki called out from behind, "Azusa, I guess we have some scripts to rehears." Azusa frowned at him, but Tsubaki had a cold expression. I understood that he was just being possessive right away, and that wasn't good.

But I wasn't intending on triggering him in front of everyone, so I removed Azusa's hands off me, and said, "I can, uh, go on from here. Thanks a lot, anyway."

"You're welcome. Good night." He said as he helped me board the lift. I smiled at him before the metal bars closed. I sighed once I was alone.

 _You know what? It's crazy that someone even proposed to you! And you know what's even crazier? That those who proposed are your brothers!_

"I know, duh..." I sighed, looking at the metal ground. Now all left to my imagination was that I could be able to see my reflection on the opaque surface. Well, that didn't happen, but I didn't know that I was in for bigger surprises.

* * *

 **Dun dun dun that's it for the chapter!**

 **Now let me write another essay in peace. But don't forget to review! Good night.**

 **Adios,  
Diamond Shyn**


	32. Chapter 32: Breaking Apart

**Red Diamond**

 ***EXAM ALERT! EXAM ALERT!***

 **Phew, this chapter was kind of an impossible task. With nine long chapters to learn in each subject, we have the perfect reason to bang our heads into the walls.  
But you know what the worst part is? The ENTIRE BOOK will come in the syllabus of the finals.  
Lemme just go die in peace, watching a nice SRK starrer, eating coffee ice-cream (with unimaginably much amount of caffeine in it) and resting in a freezing cold air-conditioned room. That would be the best death ever! **

**Speaking of pleasure (oh, did we ever speak about pleasure?), did you guys watch Taylor Swift's new song** _ **Look What You Made Me Do**_ **? I LOVE THAT SONG SO DAMN MUCH! Yeah, I love the new Taylor Swift! #TaylorSwift**

 **Thanks a ton** **nguyenthanhtam95** **,** **HerSoleFan** **, and** **charu CSK** **for the favs and follows! And of course, the reviewers! Thank you my new guest reviewer** **bird** **! I'll try to add the elders in the next few chapters. I'm extremely grateful for your support!**

 **Okay, now let's get on to the chappie! This is gonna be short, since I'm short of time, but will be focusing on... jealousy? Hope you enjoy it!**

 **Disclaimer: Me: Lalalala I do not own BroCon! Do I need to say this every time?  
Fanfiction manager: Yes you need to.  
Me: Fine. But yeah, I do own the OCs and the plot! Yay!  
Fanfiction manager: Lol, who cares?  
Me: -_-**

* * *

Chapter 32: Breaking Apart

Narrator's POV

Sabrina was told to practice walking. Of course, the simple task had to be three times difficult; since it is Sabrina we're talking about. Yuusuke was the first one to volunteer in helping her walk.

Let's just say that it wasn't a pleasant memory for him.

 *****Flashback*****

Yuusuke knocked on her front door, and waited for a few seconds before realizing that it was unlocked, since she couldn't possibly lock and open the door every hour. He walked in, and saw Sabrina sitting on her desk, working hard on writing something. It seemed as if she was really into it.

"Sabrina?" He poked her, and she shrieked, flinching a bit. He too, jumped back due to the surprise alarm.

"Hey? What happened?" He asked once she was out of her shocked state.

"Oh, I thought that it was some intruder." She said, like the fact was no big deal to her.

"Why do you always think like that?" He asked, arching his eyebrows.

"Anything can happen, yeah? Anything can happen anytime, maybe in a blink of an eye, and you would just be standing there, dumb and foolish, wondering when did that happen and what did you miss. That's the thrill!" She exclaimed, falling back on her seat, bending it.

Honestly, Yuusuke sometimes wished that he understood her words, oh, preaching.

"Well, that's okay, "He said, "But I guess I'm here to begin with your walking session."

"As if I'm a little baby." She pouted. And looked undoubtedly cute. Ignoring the feeling, he coughed and said, "You need to. Masa-nii told me."

She thought for a second, and agreed, "Only because Masa-nii says so."

He held her hand and helped her get off the seat. With one of her hands in his and his other arm around her shoulders, she slowly took a few steps in the room. Everything was going on fine – until a big, nasty cockroach showed up from under the bed. It quickly crawled out and seemed as if it was examining its surroundings. That's when the brunette saw the insect.

"Aaaah!" She screamed in his hear, and began panicking, scratching his hands.

"Ow!" He drew back his hands, only to see the brunette limping to the table and jumping on the chair, and throwing stuff on the poor little insect blindly.

"Hey stop!" He rushed towards her. She didn't notice that the insect had already crawled out of the room. But while rushing towards her, he slipped on some random article and landed on his bottom. He looked above and saw Sabrina, with eyes tightly shut, and ears perhaps sealed, she picked up everything on her table in a fury, and threw it at him.

How the poor guy's pleas went unheard!

 ***** Flashback End*****

And that's how the redhead ended up having a swollen nose.

O~O~O

"Can you please get me your notes?" She asked Yuusuke, and he shrugged, and said, "I have a supplementary class today. I'll be extremely late."

"Damn..." She said. They were at the entrance of the house, and Yuusuke was about to go to school. Sabrina was supposed to revive her schooling from the next day, and she needed notes to prepare. Unfortunately, she acted like a lazy old bum all this time, not preferring to borrow the notes, and there she was, on the last day, asking for a mountain of work.

"Then ask Mahoko." She suggested, and Yuusuke nodded his head, agreeing with her idea.

Later, after the school hours were over, and it was around evening, she was actually waiting for Mahoko on the ground floor stairs. A few minutes later, she could see a geek from her class – whose name she didn't quite know - walking towards her. She stood up when he approached her, and she said, "Hey."

"Um, hey." He shyly flashed his braces, and then said, "M-Mahoko sent me. She couldn't because she had to get home urgently."

"Aw, thanks a lot for that!" She said, taking the notebook. In the distance, behind him, she saw a car pulling up. On a closer look, she noted that it was Tsubaki inside it. She reminisced how he had proposed to her, and an idea struck her mind. She immediately enveloped the geek, making him blush, and made sure that Tsubaki saw her actions. She intended to let him know that she was taken, while in reality, she wasn't.

"W-W-What are y-you doing?" He stammered, blushing crimson, deciding on whether to return the hug or not.

"I kinda lost balance." She replied.

However, contrary to her intentions, Tsubaki stormed out of his car and hurried to the duo. Once he reached them, he roughly pulled the guy away from Sabrina, and slapped him hard; so hard that the sound echoed.

"Tsubaki-san! What are you doing?" Sabrina cried, but till then, Tsubaki had already grabbed the collar of the poor boy and was delivering punches to his stomach. She tried to separate the two, but to no success.

"Stay away from her!" He yelled at the now-bleeding geek, pulling him close to himself before delivering another punch to his face.

"Tsubaki stop! It's not his fault!" She screamed, and Tsubaki slowed down, still glaring daggers at the innocent guy.

"Leave him!" She ordered, and Tsubaki followed, breathing heavily. The boy dropped to the ground, and Sabrina rushed to his aid. "Hey, are you alright?!" She asked him, pulling out a handkerchief from her pocket and wiping the blood from his face.

"It wasn't his fault, Tsubaki-san." She explained while cleaning his wounds and Tsubaki looked at her, helping the guy he had just beaten up. Even his knuckles were hurting. But he was still incensed.

"Why the hell were you embracing each other, then?" He asked, perhaps in a harsher tone, because she flinched. The purple-eyed man noticed that and shook his head, muttering an apology under his breath. What was happening to him?

"I... lost my balance." She lied, and asked the wounded guy again if he was fine. This time, he responded with a low "I'm fine." He slowly stood up, not planning to stay there for any other minute. He dragged himself out of the estates, and Sabrina too, slowly stood up.

"I'm sorry..." Tsubaki began, frowning, holding her shoulders, "I don't know what got into me. I just saw you with that guy and I suddenly lost all control."

"It's o-okay." She said, unsure of how to respond to that.

"Tell me, he wasn't your guy. Was he?" He desperately asked, cupping one of her cheeks.

"Um..." She whispered, arguing in her mind whether to tell him the truth or provoke him to totally kill that. "I... I..." She nervously said, as if about to cry, still guilty about that poor boy's condition. To restrain the tears from falling, Tsubaki crashed his lips against hers, cupping her other cheek as well in the process. It had become so usual for her – he was kissing her for the fourth time. To stop her brimming tears, she closed her eyes, grabbing a hold of Tsubaki's arms. He pulled her close to himself; and right at that moment, someone pulled Tsubaki's hands, separating him from her.

In a jiffy, they couldn't process who it was, but after the two were apart, they realized that it was Azusa.

"Don't you dare kiss her again!" Azusa shouted. His voice wasn't as strong, though, and he seemed tired pale.

"How the heck are you here? You didn't come with me." Tsubaki questioned.

"For the record, you didn't take me with you. I came from the public transport, and the scene wasn't pretty when I returned." Azusa said, eyeing Sabrina in the process.

"Why do you even have to come in between all the damn time?" Tsubaki angrily said, "That wasn't any of your damn business!"

"It was. She was upset, and it was my business." Azusa simply replied.

"What's your problem? Are you jealous that I was the one kissing her?" Tsubaki implored, raising his brows.

"No. I interrupted for your sake."

"Huh?" Tsubaki was perplexed.

"Yes. She is our family, and you keep hurting her like that. Stop being a jerk and think how you must be making her feel."

"Shut up." Tsubaki said, averting his eyes.

"No I won't. Just leave her alone." Azusa said, his voice growing weaker and weaker by each passing minute. The headache that had been bothering him for a long time was back again, and his head began throbbing. It felt like a hundred trucks just hit head. One of his hands subconsciously went up to his head.

"I no longer care what you think. Stay out of my business." Tsubaki stated, though he didn't mean that. He simply didn't want any interference from Azusa. He turned to go, locking his arms behind his head, but stopped right in his tracks when he heard a faint sound come from Azusa.

"Tsubaki just..." Azusa said, losing his balance as well as consciousness. He extended his hand, hoping his twin would catch him. Tsubaki turned and rushed to catch him, but he couldn't. Azusa fell to the ground, his spectacles inches away from his face, and his features pale, with cold-sweat running down his nose.

Sabrina's breath was caught in her throat. She had a glimpse of Arnav's corpse. He was as white as the ten-year old, and his unmoving body seemed as lifeless. She put a hand to her chest, right where her heart was beating rapidly. The familiar feeling of dread was back, this time with fear. Fear of losing another brother. As guilt washed over her, she fell to her knees, near the black-haired man, with her hands trembling.

Tsubaki was left standing there, uncertain of what to do. He couldn't even analyze what happened in the last few seconds. He looked at his twin fallen on the ground, lying unconscious. His purple orbs contracted.

He couldn't sense his twin.

He inaudibly whispered, "Azusa..."

* * *

 **This scene i the anime made me cry. I could feel the emotions.**

 **AZUSA NOOOOOOOOO!**

 **That's it for the chapter. Also, Happy Teacher's Day to all the teachers (I don't know if any teacher reads the fanfic or not. Probably not). I got the time to write this only while *pretending* to make cards for my teachers.**

 **And surprise! A glimpse of the sequel!**

" _ **Do you think you can stand my wrath, little lady? Do you think you can offer yourself to me completely?" He asked, scraping the last slivers of copper off the wires.**_

" _ **I'm all yours." She smiled and said, her expression not deterring. She wasn't scared of what was waiting for her. She knew that her love won't hurt her.**_

 _ **He smirked. "Well then, "He said, stuffing a cloth in her mouth, "I hope you remember me, sweetheart." With that, he stroked the tangled mess of wires against her forehead, and turned on the power.**_

 **HOW WAS ITTTT?! I mean, the glimpse and the chapter?**

 **The next chapter will be up after 22nd Sept, coz that's the date of my last exam. Till then, keep reading, and let that smile stay forever on your face!**

 **Review!**

 **Adios,  
Diamond Shyn**


	33. Chapter 33: Nightmarish Reality

**Red Diamond**

 **Hey! Exams still going on, but I'm a freaking reel, ya know?**

 **It just took me sooo long because a boy was murdered in the school premises of our school's other branch, so, the parents started a petition here too, delaying the exams. RIP to the eight-year old. Yes, I study in Ryan International School, and I don't regret it.**

 **Also that I couldn't stop myself from writing and reading stories. Like, I just read this SUPER AWESOME FABULOUS OMFG story on Wattpad, called 'Welcome To The Club Of Delinquents'. OMG IT WAS SO AMAZING LIKE BWAHAHAHAH... NO I'M CRYING... BWAHAHAHA LOL... AWWIEE LOVE YOU TOO, VINCENT... LMAOOO! (This was my experience reading it... no, you don't need to call the mental hospital) I recommend it to you more than my own story so yeah, go and read it... (Also, if you get time, please visit my profile '** **CoffeeArtist'** **and read my stuff too)  
Then, I got ideas for stories of my own. Not just a single idea, but FIVE ideas struck me together. You see, I was determined to sneak out and write bits and pieces (NOTE:- this whole author's note was written in a week so lol).**

 **And chapter 33! Like three plus three = thirty three! I'm amazing at math, watcha say?**

 **Thank you for the review, and thanks a lot ingridhelene0 **for following!

 **And though this chapter is gonna be contrary to my current mood, I'm not sure how I'm actually gonna write it. Like, I've got one, two, three... five ideas of how to write this chappie, and I'm gonna just mix them all up, blend them in the blender, make a new dish out of them all, and serve it to you. Now, I don't know if it's gonna be an invention of a heavenly bliss, or some goopy grey liquid which I absolutely detest.**

 **Okay okay, enough of the useless talks. Thank you reviewers! And of course,** **misa240198** **was right when she said she shivered while reading the glimpse of the sequel. I mean, it's gonna make you freak out! (Plus, you're gonna hate me)**

 **And a new chapter! I hope you like it! ;)**

 **Disclaimer: No boy no, I do not own Brothers Conflict or its characters, but my OCs.**

* * *

Chapter 33: Nightmarish Reality

Narrator's POV

Azusa lay on the ground, unmoving for about a couple of minutes, before his eyes twitched, relieving Sabrina that he wasn't dead yet.

"What's the commotion abou- What happened to Azusa?" Masaomi came rushing down to the trio. The brunette's hands trembled, and she stuttered, "I-I-I d-don't know... h-he just... just... I'm s-s-sorry he j-just..." She certainly wasn't in a condition to say anything, which didn't go unnoticed by the other two men. Masaomi looked at Tsubaki, standing on his one spot, unmoved but blinking, perhaps still traumatized.

"I'll call the ambulance." Masaomi said and turned to dial numbers on his cell, "Yes it's Dr. Asahina... my brother has collapsed... sure... thank you." He returned to the rest, and told Tsubaki and Sabrina, "You two can go back up; the ambulance will be here very soon." Tsubaki didn't move, nor did Sabrina. Masaomi didn't even pressurize them to go; he knew what kind of situation they were in.

A few minutes later, the ambulance arrived at their location. As they picked up Azusa from the ground, Sabrina stood up, and Masaomi told them, "I'm going with him to the hospital. Both of you go inside the building." With that, he sat in the van, as it hurried to the hospital.

Sabrina turned to face Tsubaki, who was looking at the ground. Just a moment ago, he was passionately kissing her, and at that moment, all he could think of was how _wrong_ he had been, disregarding his twin. His gaze travelled up to her face, which had a shocked look, and his face changed to an apologetic look.

He realized that _he_ himself was the one who was wrong all this while.

Without saying another word, he turned and brisk-walked to the elevator, leaving Sabrina alone. And in that moment, all she wished to say to him was that she was _extremely sorry_ that she had give in to their kiss.

After the white-haired man left, she hung her head down and let a tear or two slide down her cheek. Right at that time, she received a call from Masaomi, and she picked it up. "Hello?" She said in a clearer voice.

"Sabrina? It's Masaomi." His voice said.

"Oh... How's Azusa-san?" She asked.

"He's being operated. The doctor's say that it isn't a serious case, but just that he isn't stable yet." That breathed air into her. She let out a sigh of relief and replied, "That's good."

"Yes, but can you do me a favor?"

"Sure."

"Can you call Natsume and tell him about Azusa? And that he has to be here tonight?"

"Definitely... and Masaomi-san, sorry for not being a help in such a time."

"Don't say that. I understand it must be difficult for you. Otherwise too, you are helping." She smiled.

She certainly was grateful to have such people around.

O~O~O

After having a small talk with Natsume, she went up the elevator, to the fifth floor. There, she found Tsubaki on the couch, all alone, with his head hung low, supported by his hands. She cautiously went near him, and with intentions to make him feel better, she said, "I just had a talk with Masaomi-san."

He lifted his head up, "How's Azusa?" He immediately asked, with curiosity filled in his eyes.

"Looks like he'll be okay soon." She replied. He sighed and said, "Thank God. You must've called Natsume too, right? Thanks about it. I couldn't go there."

"I understand." She said, keeping a hand on his shoulder. She didn't realize that she was shaking, until Tsubaki felt it and caught it. He let out a fake laugh and said, "Look at me, making you afraid now."

"No, it isn't like that." She said, instantaneously withdrawing her hand. He sure was going through a lot of mental pressure.

"Hey," He said, grabbing her attention again, "when I was a kid, I heard this myth that siblings born together share the same soul. No matter how many bodies it is put into, it's still one soul. According to the myth, you can tell what the other person is going through, even when you're apart. But the funny thing is that I used to think it was true... not anymore, though."

"Tsubaki-san, don't say like that." She said and crouched before him. He continued, "I don't sense Azusa now. It feels like he's already gone."

"Stop talking like that, he's fine." She needed to be positive. _Even your blood group says 'be positive'. Now calm him down._

"That's it." Tsubaki said, clutching his shirt right above where his chest was, "You say something kind to me and my heart... it burns like fire. I mean, ever since we've met, I've lost my focus."

"Is that my fault?"

"No, it isn't. And that's the point. You've been innocent all along. The only one who was wrong was me."

"No."

"If I'd been stupid and done something to hurt you, then I would've never been able to make it alright. Azusa stopped me. He stopped me from making a huge mistake. Not even today, but that night as well..." Sabrina shivered at the memory, and Tsubaki clasped his fingers, "He honestly saved both of us from me, and now he's sick. I'm such a jerk."

"Okay, look." She said, "If I were in your shoes, then I would've told him how I felt."

"Even I don't know how I feel right now, Sabrina."

"You do." She assured him, "You feel regret, don't you? Just tell him that."

"But there's no way to do that."

"Why?" She eagerly implored, to which, he replied, "After all those awful things I said to Azusa, practically, I am the one who put him in the hospital."

"But I'm sure he won't see things this way." She protested.

He replied, "I know. I know my brother won't see things the way I do, and will easily forgive me. And that's where I feel guilty, that I won't be able to forgive myself for doing that to him."

He had a point. No matter what, Azusa would let go of the past and pardon him, yet, the guilt would remain in Tsubaki's heart. While Sabrina was thinking that, Tsubaki sprang at her and took her in a tight embrace. Before she could say anything, she heard him whisper, "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't be embracing you like this now. I don't deserve you." She could swear that she felt him sob, and it was made clear that he was crying when she felt something wet on her shoulder.

With a warm smile, she wrapped her arms around his shaking figure, running a hand over his back, soothing him. "It's going to be fine, Tsubaki. I'm with you."

O~O~O

With head wrapped in white bandages, and pipes attached to his hands, Azusa lay on the hospital bed. His eyes were shut, and amidst the darkness, in his subconscious imagination, he could see a blurred picture of a boy. He wasn't very old, nor too young, just about ten years or so. His back faced him, and what he could make out from the hazy scenery was the white hair of the latter, and his pink sweater. He vehemently shook his head, and snapped his head back, showing Azusa his petite face. A wide grin was spread across his fair face, and his eyes crinkled. It seemed as if he was overjoyed for some unknown reason.

He ran towards Azusa, as fast as his small feet could carry him, and in his small boyish voice, he exclaimed, I'm so happy that you are back, Azusa~!" Just as he extended his hand towards him, the scenery submerged into black, till there was only only darkness.

Laying on the cold, metal bed, Azusa took a deep breath, and his chest heaved up and down. Similarly, the waves in the ventilator too, deepened in both the directions. The doctor exited the cabin and met Masaomi outside, and informed, "He's fine."

* * *

 **That's it. Hope it wasn't that bad. I just had to give out something, and – would you believe this – I have my Science exam next. Physics really is a pain. That's why I love Chemistry!**

 **How about that dream sequence? That's my personal addition to the story. Did you like it?**

 **Alsooo, a question – If you had to choose anyone from these people to be Sabrina's partner, then who would it be? Options – Tsubaki, Azusa, Natsume, Yuusuke, Fuuto, Subaru, Iori.**

 **Review now! And please do review, because a student in stress needs some assurance that someone, somewhere, is reading her novel, which she could write after a LOT OF HARDWORK.**

 **Goodbye!  
Diamond Shyn**


	34. Chapter 34: Overcome Your Fears

**Red Diamond**

 **Heya what's up up up?  
Nothing much much much...**

 **Don't mind me me me please! I'm going crazy because my exams are finally overrr! Yayayayayay!**

 **So, I just had a precap of this story in my mind, and I just realized that I have got so much more to add in the coming chapters, but also that** _ **Red Diamond**_ **is near its end! Like, really, the day just has to come, hasn't it? At least in my mind, though, because the storyline is about to finish. The chapters are just a whole lot of drama.**

 **I don't wanna start an emotional drama here with all the 'I'm gonna miss you!' thingy, because the climax is yet to come, confessions are yet to be made, there is a sequel planned, and also because I want to save the words for the sweet final note.**

 **And, thank you for the lovely reviews! I just woke up one morning to have my Gmail id bombarded with mails related to either reviews here or to notify me about the favs and follow alerts on my original story. And you don't see a girl dancing like a retard on the morning of her Science exam... with dreadful physics.**

 **Plus, thank you** **ItaSasuHinaNaru** **for favoriting and following this story as well as me!**

 **So, now, on to the story! I hope you like the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: Lol I don't own the anime Brothers Conflict.**

* * *

Chapter 34: Overcome Your Fears

Narrator's POV

When the alarm went off the next morning, she immediately woke up, for it was a day for school. After a long time, she wore her school attire, and it felt pleasing to be in it. However, she rose before her usual timing, since she had to go to check on Azusa at the hospital.

She went to the fifth floor in search of a quick meal, and there, she found Masaomi seated comfortably on the couch, all alone. He had a toast in his hand and was reading the newspaper.

"Masaomi-san? You're up early." She walked to him as he turned to face her with a bright smile.

"Yes. I had to check on Azusa and talk to his doctor on his condition." He replied. She went into the kitchen to prepare coffee for both of them.

"So you weren't his care-taker for the previous night?" She asked while brewing the powder.

"No, Natsume volunteered to be there. He has to go to his work, that's why I'm taking his place for the day. Also, I'm taking a day off for the same."

"That's great. At least you'll get a day's rest." She said as she brought the two cups to the front table. He mouthed a little 'thanks' as he took the cup and sipped its contents.

"And why are you up this early? Let me guess, you're going for Azusa too?" He grinned, ands she nodded, "Yes. I just thought of visiting him before the school starts. And had to give him his clothes as well."

"That's sweet of you. I can drive you to the hospital if you want." He volunteered, and she agreed without hesitation.

As they drove through the clear streets, Sabrina asked Masaomi, "So, Masaomi-san, looks like we haven't had a nice talk since I don't know how long, right?"

"Yes, I agree." He instantaneously said, "Been very busy."

"Me too."

"And then you broke your foot. Still, I couldn't provide any help." He frowned.

"Huh? What're you saying?" She said, knitting her eyebrows in disbelief and looking at the man sitting beside her, "You've been the major help all this time!"

"That's an overstatement."

"It sure isn't. It feels safe to be with you, honestly." She admitted, and his cheeks showed a light hue of crimson. She continued, "You're... the roof of our household."

"The roof?"

"I'm bad at metaphors and all, but you're like a father to us all. We know if we have any conflicts, we can come to you to resolve it. You're fun, in fact. To add to it, you're the shield. The roof, as I said, protects us from the harms, and gives us all a shelter to live under. You're that. You have collected us all and kept us under a place."

His cheeks burned up, but he showed a sad smile and remarked, "I could've been better, though. I could've been more responsible like Ukyo, or a bit more reliable like Kaname. Too bad, I'm a so-called doctor afraid of blood."

"Of blood? Me too!" She exclaimed.

"You too?" He implored, rather surprised.

"It's not like I faint at its sight, but it makes me feel highly nauseous." She said, playing with the cuffs of her sleeves.

"I do faint."

"Sorry to hear that, but I'm sure you'll overcome it. Someday, that is." She smiled and said. That was what he loved about her – her positive attitude. It seemed like it was natural for her to lift anyone's spirits. He reflected her contagious smile and directed his attention towards the road, as they drove into the parking lot of the hospital.

She walked inside the building with Masaomi, and he excused himself to have a word with Azusa's doctor. She went up to the receptionist to ask about Azusa's room number, but his voice called her from behind. She turned and saw Azusa standing with Natsume, smiling at her. He was wearing a white sweatshirt, in addition to the patients' clothes.

She approached them and greeted both of them. "Hey." Natsume told her, "Take care of him. Just tell him to take his mind off the work."

"Certainly." She grinned back at him, and handed Azusa his clothes. Natsume looked at his watch and announced to them, "I've gotta go now. Take care, man." He patted Azusa's shoulder, and bid adieu to the brunette. After he left, Azusa asked her, "Don't you have to go to your school?"

"I have half an hour for that. Till then, I'm basically free."

"Let's go for a walk, if you don't mind?"

"Sure!"

O~O~O

Both of them sat on the bench on the clear, sunny day, as light wind played by. The low murmurs of the leaves sounded in the background, as they relaxed on the cold metal seat.

"So, how're you?" She asked, and he replied, "I'm good."

"Oh, not in that sense! I mean, what's up with your health?"

He slightly shook his head, and said, "It's this problem called meningitis. To put it in lane, it causes the membrane around the brain to swell."

"Sounds awful. Is it temporary or what?"

"They have said that I won't have any after-effects with the modern medicine. That's a relief. Besides, the timing couldn't be any worse." He said that in such ease that Sabrina had to contain herself from gaping at him. _Still cool and calm? This guy's a wonder._

"Sorry about that. Gonna be hard to cope up with all the mess, right?"

"Maybe. The doctors say that I'll be discharged by tomorrow morning, but should take a couple of days off to rest and not stress myself. Just have to be back in the game, you know."

"Mhm." She said and kept mum, because she wanted to tell him about Tsubaki, but decided otherwise, still unsure whether to disclose the fact that Tsubaki was utterly depressed about his state, or not. A gentle breeze washed over, as she looked at Azusa and then to the ground, and then back to Azusa.

"How's everything... at home, I mean?" Azusa asked, sensing that something was wrong.

"It's fine, but..." she decided to spill the words out, "Tsubaki has been depressed."

"I knew it." He whispered.

"He's been stressed, about your condition. He's kinda guilty that he couldn't help you, and about the way he spoke to you when you, you know, walked in on that situation." She said.

"I knew he would be feeling guilty. I know him." He paused, "And... I wanted to ask you something. About the way you feel for Tsubaki."

She rose from her seat and took a step or two ahead, like a dramatic sequence, and ran her fingers along the folded lining of her sleeve, and while thinking deeply, she said, "I... love him. But I see him only as a brother. I'm not sure how he developed any feelings for me, but all I know is that I wanted to be faithful to him as a sister. In fact, I'm grateful that you saved us that night when we ended up on the couch."

"Hey," She turned to face him upon hearing his bold yet gentle voice, and saw that he was standing as well, "Don't be thinking that I did that because I'm some selfless hero. Tsubaki was right; I was butting in because I was jealous. I was jealous that you were with him and not me. It just totals that I too, am in love with you." With no more words said, he stepped forward to take her in a tight embrace, while she just stood there like a statue, her brain still trying to process the information.

 _Congrats! And that's another one falling for you! What are you now, a sorcerer that everyone's falling into your spell?_

I really don't know, she thought, as she shifted in his arms. He winced, and it felt like some realization had struck him, and he immediately let her go, though, not before taking a look at her flushed face. She looks cute, he thought, as a light blush adorned his face too.

"I-I think it's time for school. Gotta go, take care!" She hurriedly said and brisk-walked to the exit, still cringing.

O~O~O

 _That was super awkward! Why the hell were you acting like a typical shy girl? That's not how you walk off from such a scene! Be a boss, man!_

"I know! I was so freaking awkward back there!" She whispered to herself as she entered her class. Yuusuke immediately approached her, along with Mahoko.

"Where were you? I was getting worried, you know." The redhead said, and Mahoko nodded in agreement.

"Just to see Azusa-san. Oh shit, I didn't inform you, did I?" She said, pouting. He sighed.

"You're so careless. You're gonna kill yourself because of this carelessness someday." Mahoko remarked, and Sabrina giggled.

"That wasn't funny." The blonde said, arching her eyebrows and pouting.

"Chill; I ain't gonna die anytime soon. My soul won't leave your back easily, though." The brunette said, setting her articles on her table, getting ready for the first class.

"Whoa whoa, watcha doing?" Yuusuke stopped her, and she looked at him, perplexed.

"Oh yes, she hasn't been coming all these days. You couldn't inform her, right, Fuuto-kun's brother?" Mahoko folded her arms and looked intently at Yuusuke.

"Damn, I forgot! And what does Fuuto have to do with all this?" He growled, glaring at the blonde, who just checked her nails in return.

"This idiot here forgot to tell you that there aren't gonna be regular classes from now on, since exams are close. The lectures are basically based on the streams." Mahoko informed her, and her face brightened.

"So that means that I don't need to submit the assignments I missed?"

"Not at all."

"And I don't need to attend any extra classes with David?"

"Only for the examination purposes. I'm sure he must be busy right now, burdened with students carrying doubts and all."

"This is the best day ever!" Sabrina threw her fists up in victory, and fell back on her seat.

"It's a half day for us, though, since the commerce teacher is busy with other work." Yuusuke said, reading the notice on the notice board. The girls had a look on that, and the rest few students in the room rejoiced and left.

"We can attend history class." Mahoko said, and the other two nodded.

O~O~O

"Hey Iori-san!" Sabrina sprinted to Iori, who was standing near the entrance of the building, observing his plants.

"Hello." He greeted her with a smile.

"What's going on?" She asked, looking the the fully-grown tulips.

"Well, I just came back from the library, so decided to stroll around for some fresh air." He replied, rolling up his sleeves.

"I'm delightful to cross paths with imouto-chan and Iori now." Kaname came from somewhere behind, dressed in his monk attire.

"Hey Kaname-san. Heading out somewhere?" She asked him.

"Yes, just have to do some late night monkly duties." He said, smirking, ruffling her hair. She just crinkled her eyes, not sure how to respond to that. He straightened his back and put on a little pout, saying, "We don't get enough time to talk. It seems like it has been months since we last talked."

 _Memory loss. Poor guy._ "Yes, I agree. Need to unwind sometime. What do you say, Iori-san?" She said.

"I think so. We've all been pretty busy lately." The platinum-haired man said

"We can catch up on coffee, though we live in the same household." Kaname suggested.

"Yes! There's nothing like a nice cappuccino along with some nice people around." Sabrina said.

"You like cappuccinos?" Iori suddenly asked. Just a minor details brought back a lot of memories, a lot of voices.

"I love them! And grilled toasts go best!" She said, and Kaname sensed something fishy in Iori's sudden behavioral change. His eyes were cloudy; his hands had begun shaking.

"Just like Fuyuka..." He whispered, smiling wide. Kaname felt danger and instantly took Sabrina inside the entrance of the building by her shoulders.

"What happened?" She asked, as she tried to look back at Iori's shaking figure, but Kaname's frame blocked her view. He replied, "It's getting cold out there, hasn't it?" Sabrina could tell something was off with his tone.

"Yeah..." She said, and Kaname turned and said, "Let me get Iori too."

"Wait." She stopped him by gripping his arm. He turned, and she asked, "Who's Fuyuka?"

He hesitated, before showing a light fake smile and saying, "Just an old friend staying in another town. He misses her."

"Okay" She knew he wasn't telling her the truth, but she didn't intend to intimidate him. He left, and she turned to go inside the building. As soon as she went towards the elevator, the metal bars opened to reveal a sighing Tsubaki walking out of it. His head was slightly hung, and it seemed that he was lost in his thoughts. _So unlikely him._

"Hi Tsubaki-san." She greeted with a small smile. He lifted his head just a bit so that he could see her full face, and he replied, "Hey." His expression was stoic, and his voice nonchalant.

"Are you heading out too?" She said just before he passed her. He took a step and stopped, "Yes, "He replied, "Just for a bit."

"Um, so uh..."

"Don't worry; I'll pay him a visit soon." He said, knowing beforehand what she was going to say.

"That'll be good." She smiled. He turned a little bit to see her, and then walked off. Once he was gone, she smiled wider – he was going to be just fine as well.

As he stepped outside the building, he found Iori crouched on the ground, holding his head in his hands with his eyes shut tightly. Kaname was beside him, trying to cool him down from his fits of panic and tantrums. Tsubaki wanted to help Iori – it looked like he was struggling, and maybe he knew the reason – but he had too many problems of his own. He averted his eyes and went into the garage, acting all selfish. That was what he had been in the past all along, ever since he messed his feelings up.

Heaving out another sigh, he opened the door of his car, reminiscing how his day had passed...

 *****Flashback*****

He walked into the living room, feeling exhausted, even though all he had done was grieving and sleeping. "Tsubaki, 'morning!" Kaname cheerfully greeted, and he replied with a lousy "'Morning."

"Decided to meet Azusa?" Ukyo asked, and he responded, "Thinking." The others looked up at him with concern. His phone rung, and for about the thousandth time, Tsubaki looked at it with an agitated expression, which almost said that he was ready to smash the phone to pieces.

Instead, he turned and boarded the elevator again, intending to go back to his room. Once he entered, he threw himself on his bed, and his phone buzzed again, irritating the hell out of him. He put a pillow on his head, and then a blanket over it, partially blocking the sound.

...

*Zzz* It buzzed again, and this time, he pushed the blanket off himself and answered it. It, of course, was his manager. "Yes... You're already asking me to replace Azusa? Just give him a break!" He yelled at him and hung up. He knew he would be facing some flak at work, but he didn't really regret his tone. After all, the manager was stupid enough to ask him to replace his twin on such a short notice. It was _Azusa's_ role, not his.

"Don't lie. You want the role too, so bad~" Someone whispered in his right ear, whom he recognized as Yuusuke, and his eyes widened. Maybe he did? No! He couldn't, he told himself, and then came another whisper in his other ear.

"Look at you, pathetic, selfish man." Mocked the idol. Were they true? Was he really selfish enough to seize his dream role from his twin?

...

"Waah!" He exclaimed, snapping out of his dream, pushing his sheets of him. That truly was strange. Why would he dream something like that?

"So you're awake?" He looked to the side of his bed, where Masaomi sat with a gloomy aura. He lifted his head up to show a tiny sad smile.

"Yeah, mostly. What happened?" Tsubaki asked. Something was definitely up, since Masaomi wasn't the one to grieve without a reason.

His lips curved into a total frown as he said, "Look, there's no point delaying telling you this news. Azusa... well, he passed away."

Wait...

"No..." His eyes widened in pure shock. Wasn't he about fine the previous night? His violet orbs teared up, and he choked while saying, "That can't be..." His twin can't be dead! No-

...

He immediately opened his eyes and threw the sheets off him, breathing heavily. That was a nightmare. That was a nightmare – he kept telling himself inwardly, and he sat up straight. Azusa didn't die, right? He was in his bed, and Masaomi was nowhere to be seen.

Talking of people in his room, Sabrina was sitting at the edge of his bed. He composed his posture, putting a stop to his heavy breathing. "Hey." She said. "Um, hey, just had a bad dream." He excused, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

She looked up at him, her eyes not so sparkly this time. Instead, it seemed like she was upset.

"Tsubaki-san, I wanted to tell you something." She said, uncertainty evident in her voice.

"Go on." Though anxious, Tsubaki still hoped she had the answer to his proposal. Maybe something could turn out to be good-

"I'm sorry, but I can't go out with you. I have a boyfriend." She said, looking directly into his eyes. He didn't even have a chance to conclude his though – oh, scratch that – his delusion. A pang struck his heart, and his eyes widened with the utmost agony.

Oh damn.

...

He woke up with a start, and literally wanted to scream. But, after realizing it was _again_ a nightmare, he calmed down, and face-palmed. What was up with him? Why such horrific dreams all of a sudden?

His phone rang, and this time, it wasn't the manager, bugging him to be the lead, but his triplet brother Natsume.

 *****End of Flashback*****

Well, and that call is what has made all the difference, he thought, as he drove further.

O~O~O

"So you're back." Yuusuke said, as Sabrina entered the living room. Masaomi and Louis were already there. Louis was watching Masaomi, who was intently staring at his phone screen. Yuusuke had just entered a couple of minutes ago.

"Yup, how's everyone?" She asked, plopping down herself on the sofa.

"Good, but... I guess I need some help here." Masaomi said, finally taking his eyes off his screen.

"He's been sitting like that since about an hour now." Louis said. Sabrina shifted to Masaomi's side and peeped at the phone. Yuusuke came up from behind.

"Azusa sent me a list of things he wants, but I don't think I understand what these things are." Masaomi said, and Yuusuke snatched the phone from the eldest, and further on Sabrina snatched the device from him.

"These are the names of mangas and animes." She said, and Yuusuke added, "Why is he asking for them?"

"I guess he wants to prepare for the time being." Louis said, and the others nodded in understanding.

"Sabrina, can you please do me another favour?" Masaomi asked helplessly; he had no idea what on earth were those things.

"Get these to Azusa? Sure!" She said, standing up, "I'll just change and come."

"I'm coming with you." Yuusuke said, and all the three looked at him, agape. He stared at them in bewilderment, and after a minute, got what all of them were thinking. He felt his cheeks burning up and snapped, "Not to change, dammit!"

O~O~O

Yuusuke and Sabrina were in the books store, collecting the mangas Azusa had ordered. Sabrina checked the ones they had found and dumped them in a basket. "Okay, how many to go?" He asked, taking a look in her notepad.

"A few more, like, seven? You find these three, and I'll find the rest." She said, and they got to work again.

After finding all the desired articles, the exited the store, and decided to deliver the mangas to Azusa before searching for the animes, so that he could receive some share in the meantime. Searching for the anime disks would consume a lot of time. Yuusuke departed to go home, obviously not without protesting, but it seemed like Sabrina had mastered the art of persuasion.

She headed to the hospital, and upon reaching the corridor, she stopped when she heard a familiar voice coming from Azusa's chamber. She hid behind the partially closed door and eavesdropped, and saw that Tsubaki was there in the room, sitting on a stool beside Azusa's bed. He placed a hand on his twin's, and Azusa said, "I missed you."

"Idiot, that's supposed to be my line." Tsubaki said, and she heard a low chuckle. Tsubaki frowned and said, "And you collapsed the other day. I couldn't think straight anymore. I'm sorry I did that."

"You didn't, but does it matter anymore? You're here right now, and that's all that matters." Azusa said with a slight smile.

"I'm sorry for not listen listening to you, for flat out ignoring you, for being a total pain." Tsubaki said, still feeling low.

"I should've said something earlier about it. Calling you out in front of her like that – anyone would get upset." Azusa admitted.

"No, dude, even if she wasn't there, I would've been too defensive." Tsubaki said, and the two just stared into each others' eyes. And when they couldn't hold back, both of them rushed forward to take each other in an embrace.

"I'm so sorry." Tsubaki said in a broken, croaked voice, as if on the verge to break into tears.

"Give yourself a break, okay?' Azusa said, his tone also getting deeper, "I don't blame you for any of it. I just got too emotionally involved."

"I love you man." Tsubaki said, and both of them stayed in the same position in complete silence.

Outside the room, Sabrina too, was emotional. _Is that an emotional drama going on? Because I feel like crying! They're so adorable!_

To hear that from her mini-me, well, these guys must have magic in their moment. She turned away from the door, letting them reconcile. After all, they had been through a lot of stress lately. Partially because of her.

She was so glad to see them together, as she boarded the elevator.

* * *

 **That's it for the chapter! The part you all were waiting for will be in the next chapter, because this was wayyy too long. Also, I decide on adding Hikaru in the next chapter, and further on.**

 **I just wanted to continue Iori's story with her too, and for her to have an interaction with the elder brothers (Only Masaomi here) because of the requests (and because their parts lacked).**

 **I haven't even combed or anything, just burning my eyes in front of the screen. When I entered the room, the daylight was illuminating the place, then I continued typing till now, and I realized that it's gonna be eight at night and I haven't bothered to turn on the lights still...**

 **...Wait, where's my phobia of darkness?**

 **...**

 **...**

 **...**

 **OH YES I'M NO LONGER SCARED OF THE DARK YES YES YES! Writing helped me so much! YAYAYAYAY!**

 **Okay then, review, fav and follow please, and continue reading for the next part! If possible, take a look on my original story! Here's the synopsis of the story, so if interested, please read it on Wattpad or Fictionpress!**

 _ **"I'd be damned if everyone was supposed to last forever."**_

 _ **Christa Wrightson is a damaged nineteen year old with a tragic past. Her once warm heart has transformed into stone-cold, her once bright smile twisted into an eternal frown. Leading the life of a ganster, she puts on a mask of a ruthless killer, while inwardly she mourns over each one she kills.**_

 _ **All because of that one incident in her childhood days, back when she was a ten-year old.**_

 _ **But what happens when she stumbles upon Alfred, a rival she's ready to kill. What connection do they have, unbeknownst to them?**_

 _ **A tragic tale of friendship and relations; it's heart-breaking, yet so beautiful. It proves how valuable our friends are - the gift meant to be treasured forever.**_

 **Wow, that's long! Anyway, you know what to do, right? xoxo**

 **Yours Truly  
Diamond Shyn**


	35. Chapter 35: Official Confession

**Red Diamond**

 **Heyyy! I'm up with this chapter already! Gotta speed things up, since the exams are over, and I'm too bored to do anything else.**

 **This is gonna be a little short one, since I want a certain part to be covered in this chapter. There may be some drama and all, but the core thought is evident on the chapter's title itself.**

 **And gosh, it wasn't easy to get a chance to write! The result of a few subjects are out already (though the report card is yet to be shown to the parents) and the first one I got was... undoubtedly, math.  
*sigh*  
I'm dead, man, I'm so freaking dead. I really thought that the result would be great this time, but no, I'm just not made for math. Like, OMG WHY ARE YOU SO BAD, MATH!? WHAT DID I EVER DO TO YOU?!**

 **So, no more useless notes now, just on with the chappie! I hope you like it!**

 **Disclaimer: I absolutely have no rights over the anime Brothers Conflict or its characters. However, I'm making a master plan on 'how to break into the Rejet's office'.**

* * *

Chapter 35: Official Confession

Sabrina's POV

After I witnessed Tsubaki and Azusa reconcile, I descended down the floors of the hospital, wiping the brewing tears off the corners of my eyes. Just then, a car pulled up in front of me. I peeped in and saw that it was Natsume inside it.

"Yo, I'll give you a drive back." He said, and I got inside, "Heya! You won't believe what happened in there."

"Huh? What's so exciting?" He asked as he drove.

"Well, guess what? Tsubaki finally went to see Azusa." I gleefully said.

"Thought he might do that." He said, not exactly excited. He rather looked expectant. _So, this guy's a future-teller now?_

"Why, did something happen?" I asked.

"There's been a buzz at the studio. I've heard that the manager asked Tsubaki to replace Azusa for the main role." He stated.

"Wait, what? Isn't that supposed to be bad news?" _What's up with the manager, flashing Tsubaki his dream role and then taking it back, and then again offering it? Flat-nosed bloated monkey._ I hadn't even seen him once, but I had an insult ready, thanks to my dysfunctional brain.

"That's all work from here. Guess they just had to learn it the hard way to be there for each other." He said, and I added a little, "Mhm."

"You can call it a gut feeling, but I don't think I need anything more concrete. I mean, we're triplets after all." He said, smiling. That reminded me of Tsubaki's monologue from the other day.

"Like that sharing-one-soul thingy?" I said, and he looked at me, puzzled. "What're you talking about?" He asked, seemingly unaware of the myth. The car stopped as the traffic light turned red.

"Tsubaki told me. He said that siblings born at the same time share the same soul." I declared, and he chuckled.

"I'm sure he was referring to his bond with Azusa. But then again, it's a scary thought. What if I am stuck with those two weirdoes?" He jokingly asked, and I laughed. _Then I pity you with each part of my body._

He grinned and said, "That's what I like to see."

"Huh?"

"Your smile. It gives us all strength. If you can keep that positive energy, then you've no idea how much you're helping." He said, and I could feel my cheeks burning up.

"Can try."

"That'll be good, because your smile is a lot easier on the eyes than mine is." He said, keeping his grin on. I bent closer to him and said with a grin, "Without you, the task would be a lot to handle." He smirked, and as the light turned green, he started driving again.

O~O~O

He dropped me at home, and I found Yuusuke, Louis, Ukyo, Wataru, and Hikaru there.

"Hey everyone." I greeted, and a very excited Wataru jumped next to me. "Are those mangas?! Can I have a look?!" He enthusiastically asked, and I had to reject him.

"Sorry, but these are for Azusa." I smiled and said, and he sulked.

"Oh, for Azu-nii. Okay..." He said, sitting back on his sofa.

"Hey Hikaru-san! Back again?" I greeted, settling down on the sofa beside him.

"Yes sweetie. Gonna stay here for some time to have a good look at everyone." He said, smirking and eyeing everyone in the room, making them uncomfortable with his shifting gaze – well, except Louis. He snickered at his behavior.

"Okay, Hikaru, let's not do that." Masaomi said, letting Hikaru show a huge grin. The red-haired man said, "I'm here for a short time anyway. I won't get a better chance for my project."

 _Project? On how to make people uncomfortable?_ I was curious, but expecting an even worse answer, I kept my mouth shut and decided to imitate Louis. I just grinned, and upon seeing me grin, he smirked back. Who knows why?

Yuusuke coughed to clear the atmosphere. He then asked, pointing at the bag of mangas in my arms, "Why didn't you give these to Azusa?"

"Oh, actually, Tsubaki was there, so I decided not to interrupt their moment." I said.

"For real? Like, he finally went?" Yuusuke said, astonished.

"You went to check on him? That's a huge relief that he went there." Ukyo said, sipping his tea.

"Yeah." I agreed. I subconsciously yawned, and said, "I'm feeling tired." Then yawned again.

"You didn't get to sleep enough yesterday. You should go and rest now." Masaomi stated, and I nodded. I was worn-out, and I boarded the elevator for my room. While in the compartment, I asked myself, "Gosh, life is tiring."

 _It is a master-plan, girl. It's a master-plan to trick you into misery._

"That's true." I aimlessly said. More than being tired, I was bored, and the conversation was a result of that fact. And my genius mini-me decided to strike up a conversation.

 _What about the proposals?_

"You really couldn't find anything better to talk about?" I asked, as a 'ting' sound came and I exited the elevator.

 _That's the most important question here. Maybe more important than Shakespeare's 'To do or not to do'._

"Exams matter more."

 _You're just trying to distract yourself._

"Can't argue with you." I said, and plopped myself on the bed. I checked social media sites for some time, before finding nothing to do and laying like a starfish on the bed. With the bright light directly on my eyes, I completely lost my sleep.

And that was the worst situation one could be stuck in: Feeling sleep and bored but not being able to sleep.

With the mess of a mind I had, I wore my boots and went to provide Azusa with his stock of mangas. That was the best I could do, since I genuinely wanted to help him in his state. What if he was stuck in a situation similar to mine? Sleepless?

Within ten minutes, I was again in front of the frequently-visited hospital building. I ascended to the floor on which Azusa was. I basically had to hurry up, since the sun had already begun to settle, and I needed to be back home. _You chose the worst timing ever._

I did not find him in his chamber, so I asked his nurse, and she told me that he was on the roof. I rushed to the topmost floor of the structure, and found him talking on the phone, just near the boundary grills.

The sunset was good and all, but being alone at a hospital's rooftop would seem creepy to anyone. I walked over to him, not quite forgetting the talk we had earlier the same morning. I could only that he wouldn't make the matter more awkward.

"Yes... yes get that...sure, man." He talked on the phone, and I coughed behind him. In a jiffy, he turned and hung up on his phone.

"You can talk if you want to." I insisted, and he said, "No, I was done with the talk already. It was from Tsubaki; he's staying here tonight. Just went home to fetch some clothes."

"That's cool, and hey, I have your mangas." I offered them to him.

"Thanks, but don't tell me you bought them by yourself." He said, accepting the bag and placing it on the nearby bench.

"I did, but wouldn't have found any if Yuusuke wasn't there to help."

"Didn't he accompany you here? I mean, it's late."

"No, but I believe no one knows I'm here. Long story short, I was bored, so I came here to give you those." I said and playfully winked and chuckled. He also chuckled, and I said, "So, how is Tsubaki? I mean, don't be angry this time as well, but I know the lead role thingy again." I sheepishly said.

He looked at me as if he expected the part, and said, "He's comparably better now. Plus, he has taken up the role."

"Really? That's cool!"

"Yeah, and today, when we had a quick walkthrough, I was amazed to see that his skills have completely changed, and he's way better now. He has personalized the role, in fact, better than I did. I have a new-found appreciation for his work." He paused, and leaned on the grill again, "But there's this other feeling deep in my gut."

"And what is that?"

"I don't want to lose Tsubaki." He confessed.

"You won't." I assured him.

"But then again, I don't want to give up on you." He said, and I don't remember what happened next, but he engulfed me in his big hug, and said, "I'm done making excuses. I'm done apologizing." He looked into my confused eyes, and confessed, "I love you."

"Oh my god..." I whispered. Hadn't he done kind of the same act early in the morning? I certainly did not wish to have a repeat. _So, is it an 'Official Confession'?_

"Don't rush yourself. Don't panic. Take your time. Just remember that I will be waiting here for you." He said and kissed my forehead. I blushed so hard that my blood vessels would've burst out of my body. Weren't those too many confessions already? For a sisteeeerrrr?

I stepped back and said, "I... think I need time."

"I'll be waiting." He said, cupping my cheek. It was the time for me to go. I looked at the dark sky and said, "Oops, it's too late. I'll see you later?"

He smiled and nodded. "Goodnight."

"Night." I said and walked over to the entrance of the the stair which led to the inside of the building. As soon as I walked in, a voice somewhere near said, "That's too shy."

I snapped my head backward, and turned my head around. "Who was that?" I asked in a bold voice. _Don't tell me that someone from the staff has seen that. Please God, no._

A nurse with long, auburn hair revealed herself from behind the door, with her cap covering the most part of her face. I could only see her lips as they curved into a smirk, and she lifted the cap off her face.

Oh, change 'she' to 'he' there, because it was Hikaru.

"H-Hikaru-san? You?" I asked, flabbergasted.

"Well it's me, and I witnessed something amazing back there." He grinned. I blushed and shifted, as I said, "And you aren't telling that to anyone else, right?"

"I'll keep my mouth shut for you, darling." He said, and I puffed out a sigh of relief.

"How did you reach up so fast here?" I asked.

"Well, I guess I have a sharp eye on my sister." He showed his usual smirk, and I stood there, dumbfounded.

"I can give you a ride back." He offered, and I accepted. At least my taxi fare was saved.

 _Well yeah, taxi fare is the best thing you can save now. Let's just forget about sanity..._

* * *

 **That's it. Well, not too short, but I added a few things and shifted some things here and there.**

 **I wrote this when my mother said that dad would be late, so I had some extra time on my hands. That's the reason I wrote this at 11:30 in the night.**

 **I guess that's it, and I'll save a sequel glimpse for the next chapter. Don't know about you, but I'm pretty excited for it to start already.**

 **So review, fav and follow, and keep reading! Don't let that spirit down! Thanks for reading this!**

 **Adios  
Diamond Shyn **


	36. Chapter 36: A Reality Check

**Red Diamond**

 **Already up with chapter 36! Looks like I'm a bit too free...**

 **Guys, I don't think you expected the early update, but let's say that the upcoming chapters will be updated quickly, since I'm more than eager to write the story. I know what's coming, and OH GOD CAN I BE MORE EXCITED?!**

 **I love to provide you all with the best, and I hope you like the chapter! Thank you for all the reviews, and special thanks to** **summerlily232** **for reviewing! No favs and follows yet, but okay! ;)**

 **Another little announcement: This may seem like it's way too early but I have made the cover of the sequel, and... yes that's it. The chapter now!**

 **Disclaimer: I'm making the plan of how to break into Rejet's office, and I think it's gonna work, but for the moment, I do not own Brothers Conflict. I only own my OCs and the plot.**

* * *

Chapter 36: A Reality Check

Sabrina's POV

Azusa was discharged the next day, and returned home. I woke up early in the morning, as usual, and went to school. According to the day's schedule, I had to attend a science lecture at the end of the day, which Sasakura was a part of. Honestly, I was curious all these days for his condition, hoping that he hadn't died there, so I was hoping to see him alive in the school. _Who are we kidding? You don't care if he's dead, yeah?_

"Yeah." I said to myself, setting my belongings on my desk and sitting on the chair, looking at the entrance. After making me wait for a few minutes, he showed up, wearing a plaster on his arm, surrounded by his minions.

"Oh my god. Did I do that to him?" I gasped, muffling a laugh. Beside me, Yuusuke whispered to me, "Yes. He's been like that ever since, though he has gained a lot of sympathizers." I laughed in return. I certainly did not expect a result lasting so long.

"I'm glad he's alive." I told him, and he chuckled. As soon as Sasakura saw me, his face twisted into a scowl, and he scrunched up his nose in disgust, saying, "Some people are back." I smiled at him in return. He glared.

 _Oh! We've got some enemies here!_

Then David entered, and the class commenced. "I've gotta say, this guy has changed a lot since he came to our house. He doesn't flirt with you anymore." Yuusuke remarked, pointing at David, and I vehemently nodded.

The class went on, and I could almost feel his glare on me. I cast a couple of furtive glance in Sasakura's direction in between the lectures, and I could see him glaring daggers at me. Was that supposed to make me scared? No, but it certainly made me feel uncomfortable.

After the class ended, Mahoko, Yuusuke, and I were walking down the hallway, when Sasakura's voice called out for me behind me.

"Looks like the coward is back at school." He mocked, smirking at me. He was surrounded by his followers.

Yuusuke stepped forward in anger, about to yell at him, but I held him back by his wrist and retorted, "Well, all of us can see who the coward is, my pretty little boy." By now, the whole corridor had gathered around us. Some were gossiping, some snickering at the scene, and some were recording it with their phones.

Sasakura gritted his teeth and glared at me. His gaze went to Mahoko, who shifted in discomfort. I noticed that, but before I could say anything, he yelled, "You came in and played a trick on me, lewd woman! Could you be more discreet?"

"Says the one who cheated on about a hundred girls. Don't you open your bloody mouth, you playboy, I can tell everyone here about your dirty acts, and it won't cost me a penny." I started off with a tone of mockery, but it later on got aggressive. Sasakura snapped his head around in embarrassment, and for a moment, I thought that I had won the argument. Even Yuusuke wore a victory grin, but then, one of his minions whispered something in his ear, and he suddenly had an evil grin plastered on his face.

"Aha," He retorted, "I don't think that should come from you, the burden to her step-brothers."

"Huh?!" Yuusuke was shocked, and murmurs rose in the background. It would be an understatement to say that it only hurt. I was taken aback, with no idea how to reply. He continued, "Constantly beating people up, flirting with the science teacher, and tempting her own brother. Do I even need to say how Yuusuke looks at you? I mean, you-"

"That's enough!" Yuusuke rushed forward and punched on his face. The boys got into a full-blown fight, but I stood there like a statue, reflecting on Sasakura's words. I may not have flirted with David, not even tried to tempt anyone, but I had caused numerous problems in the household already. My presence had started conflicts, which wouldn't have existed if I wasn't there. I was acting as a hindrance in their smooth lives.

So, I was a burden to them all.

I took a step back, and whispered, "Yuusuke, he's right." I'm not sure if he heard me, because the next thing I did was to turn and quickly walk to the staircase. I descended down the stairs hurriedly, hearing Mahoko's voice behind me, and ran out of the school premises.

I kept running for a few minutes, and I stopped when I reached a park. It was that time of the day when there weren't many people in the park. Reaching a totally isolated corner in the field, I dropped to my knees, and just sat there for some time. It wasn't like I was about to cry or anything, but I felt guilty. Guilty for being there.

What if I wasn't a part of the family? What if I never came there? What if I... died in that accident as well?

A tear broke out from the corner of my eye, and I wiped it away. There was no use crying over it. It wasn't my fault – I never initiated the conflicts. Yet, who could stop the guilt from flowing in? It was natural.

Things were just beginning to get right, and then God sent this knucklehead to give me a reality check. Trust me, that wasn't how I saw things. He may have described me as characterless, according to his outbreak back in the school, but being typified as that was never my intention. All in all, I had just complicated things, and because of that thought, another tear slid down my face, then another, and then another...

Fate was acting so cruelly to me. It was so disheartening to accept the reality.

Who said words can't hurt? They can stab harder than any knife; draw more blood than any wound, and kill more dreams than failure ever could. They hold the power to extinguish the light of life inside you; to destroy you without using any force.

And so I sat there, looking into abyss, as I mentally was on a guilt trip. Time passed, and I finally came back to my senses when I saw the sun setting. I shot up from my position in a second. I had to return home; I must've worried all my brothers. I did not want to go back, but I had no other option, otherwise they might end up informing the police about me going missing. The light pole lit up. "Shoot! It's really late!" I said as I ran past the exit of the ground, and ran across the road blindly.

Suddenly, right in the middle of the wide road, a car stopped in front of me. It was so close that if I was a centimetre forward, then it would've crushed my toes. The window rolled down, revealing a not-so impressed Natsume.

"You can't walk like that on the road." He said, and I hung my head in shame. The vehicles behind him honked, and he opened the door to his car. I reluctantly sat inside, and he drove off.

"Why were you not picking up your phone?" He asked, and I kept quiet. Were there any calls? I had kept my phone on silent, so I pulled it out of my pocket, and I was in utter shock when I saw that I had received fifty-six missed calls. _Shit, that's too much!_

"I'm sorry." I replied in a low voice. I inwardly coughed; why was my voice so low?

"What happened to you?" He asked. I didn't know from where to begin or where to end. More than that, I didn't know how to describe what happened. It wasn't a big deal to others – it must be a topic for gossip in the school – but ask the person who was offended, and you'll witness a whole new story.

I stayed silent. He noticed that and sighed. "Okay," he said, "I won't ask, but you shouldn't have run away like that. I was worried." That was what I didn't want to hear - that I worried them. I internally face-palmed.

The car turned into Sunrise Residence's driveway, and I held his arm. He looked at me, and I shook my head. "I don't want to go home." I said.

He reversed the car, and letting out an audible sigh, he asked, "Then would my apartment be fine?"

I wasn't expecting that. I was expecting a strict 'Go back inside' from him, but he proved to be better. I nodded, and we drove to his apartment. The entire ride, I didn't utter a single word to him. I could feel him looking at me every now and then, but brushed it off.

Once we reached his apartment, we climbed the stairs, and he unlocked the door. The second we entered, two little cats – both white in color with orange patches all over them – came running over to Natsume and ran around his feet.

"Tsubaki! Azusa! Not now!" He scolded, and the cats went to some other room. _Tsubaki? Azusa? To name the cats with their names was a mistake. He should've adopted some wolves or jackals and named them Tsubaki and Azusa._

"Tsubaki? Azusa?" I asked, and he turned to face me, and said, "Hah, long story. Why don't you take a bath?"

"Well, I don't have any extra clothes."

"You can borrow mine." He offered, and I accepted that, blushing a little bit.

I had a quick shower, which made me feel comparably better than before, and opened the curtain to see that he had placed a pair of track suit for me. I wore it, and they were way more soft and comfortable than any other dress I had ever worn. I actually began to envy men that they had such soft clothes to wear.

I walked into his room, where he was smoking by the window. Upon hearing me walking in, he looked into my direction, and I frowned, seeing him smoking. He rubbed it on his ash tray, and while he did that, he asked, "Feeling better now?"

"Much better. And sorry for imposing on you like that." I replied.

"Oh, never mind that. So, you're ready to talk?"

"Umm..." I said, looking at the ground.

"Okay, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I'm here if you want to talk, though." Natsume said, and I noticed the depression in his voice.

"Oh, no, I mean, thanks for that, but I don't think I'm worth the trouble." I said, rubbing my toe on the ground.

His glance shot up at me, "Why would you think that?"

"Because as soon as I got here, everyone started fighting and... there's just this other stuff." My tone got silent as I reached the last few words.

"Well, brothers tend to fight. There's no reason to be depressed over that." He said.

"If I just hadn't become a part of the family..." I whispered, and he apparently heard that, because he stood up and said, "I'm sorry, and that's from all of us. But nothing we did should've bothered you this much and made you feel like you're not the trouble."

"It's not just you. I mean..." I sat on the floor, and he took a seat on the chair next to the table. I began, "So, there's the guy I beat up at school, because of whom I got my foot broken. He just... showed me the reality."

"What reality?" He seemed intrigued.

I took a deep breath and continued, "He told me that I was a flirt, that I was a characterless person, who just... tried to tempt everyone else. More than that, he said that I was a burden to you all." I looked at the ground, feeling ashamed. I heard his knuckled cracking and I looked up, and he seemed really angry. A nerve bulged on his forehead, "That's so not true. How dare he?!" He fumed.

"Calm down there. It's just how everyone sees me." I said. He subtly eased and said in a gentle tone, "But you shouldn't be depressed for what others think."

"Natsume, the thing is," I said as my tone got heavier and heavier, and a tear rolled down my cheek, "That maybe they are right. Maybe I am a burden. I may not realize it, but I am a flirt. What if he is true?" He paused. _Damn tears. Always out at the wrong time._

My gaze went on the digital clock on the table, but it was blurred. I blinked to see that it was 11:32 pm. My eyes shot wide open – the others didn't know where I still was. I got up, alarmed, and began walking to the front door.

"Oh shit, I've gotta go." I mumbled as I tried to run out, but he held my wrist from behind, and turned me behind. I ended up in his chest. And with a tone so soft and gentle, like I had never heard him use before, he said, "You're wrong, you know. All of us are lucky to be around you."

He broke the embrace, which made me lock eyes with him, and he said, "Stay here. You don't have to go home." With that, he kept both his hands on my shoulders, and crashed his lips against mine, while my eyes remained open in wide shock. No, don't tell me this...

A minute passed before he separated his lips from mine, and I still looked at him in embarrassment. He removed his hands from my shoulder slowly, and my gaze followed the ground. He heaved a sigh and said, "I can sleep on the floor. You can use the bed. And the truth is, that the Asahina family needs you, more than you seem to realize. Everyone's having these conflicts because they all care so much about you. You were a subject to bullying, and I guess I'll propose a strict action against it as soon as I can, but you need to understand that you are pure. You aren't characterless but someone with a great personality. Not even in my dreams can I believe you to be all that you said. You are much better than you think." I lowered my head, not sure about how to reply to that. In that state of mind – especially after the sudden kiss – I was thinking that I was suddenly dizzy.

"Are you angry?" He asked after a pause, and I lifted my head. "Huh?"

"About me kissing you, I mean." He specified, and I wished that he had rather not. I blushed a little and said, "Uh, no, umm."

"I need to be honest with you." He spoke up, "I wouldn't have kissed you for no reason. I care about you. I'm not saying this is fair, because this'll most probably complicate things further, but I can't... I can't keep from telling you how I feel. In the end, I'm no different from my brothers, because I'm crazy about you too." He again placed his hands on my shoulders, and slowly moved his lips closer to mine, but stopped millimeters before.

"No," He decided, "I'm sorry. I can't kiss you like that it's not fair. I'll leave you alone, then. You can go to sleep." He said, unbuttoning his shirt and walking out of the room, followed by a 'meow' sound from I guess Tsubaki. Once he was gone, I sighed, and placed myself on the bed. "Whoa..." I said, "Natsume too?" All this time, I had considered him more like a best friend than a brother, so I had no freaking idea where love came from.

I fell back on the bed, and then realizing it wasn't my room, I straightened out my posture, and in a civilized manner, I laid myself on the bed and took on the blanket. Minutes later, Natsume entered the room in his night suit and spread out a mattress on the floor. I pretended to be asleep, but I think there's a fact that says a person can detect a stare even while asleep or with eyes shut.

He turned the lights out, and his cats came running down to him. He slept with his back facing me, and I stared out of the window at the bright full moon, illuminating the room slightly with its silver shine. My eyes shifted from the window to the table, where I could see the headphones I gifted him kept next to the computer. I smiled, seeing that he really liked the headphones, and my gaze went onto him. The cats roamed around his figure slowly, then I don't know what happened but one of them – probably Azusa – scratched Natsume's shoulder lightly, and then Tsubaki scratched the same shoulder with full might.

"Ow!" He rose in a jiffy, keeping a hand on his scratched shoulder, "What's with you two?" He acted in such a cute manner that I broke out giggling. The lights turned on, and I was still giggling. I sat up. He held the two animals, dropped them in the hallway, and locked the door, so we heard the scratching sounds and roars from them for a few minutes, and then they silenced.

"So, you haven't been sleeping? Or did I disturb you?" He asked.

"Well, I could get no sleep." I showed a small smile. He grinned looking at me, "I like that smile." He said really slowly that I almost couldn't hear him, but I did, and remained quiet about it.

He climbed on the bed, saying, "Even I couldn't sleep." I looked at the door where the cats were.

"Hm, Tsubaki and Azusa? What's the story?" I asked. He chuckled and said, "Too curious?"

"Absolutely."

"It's not a big deal, anyway. It was when I had newly shifted here, and so, the twins had kind of a daily visit here to check on me. One night, when it was quite rainy as I remember, Tsubaki bought these two cats in a cardboard box, drenched from head to toe. Without giving me any chance to object, he handed them over to me and told m to take care of them since they belonged to his friend. And left, just like that. So I basically had no say in this."

"Tsubaki has always bossed over you, hasn't he?"

"Without a doubt. It was the same when we were younger as well." Natsume said, and then proceeded to tell me one of the stories from his childhood when the twins had completely embarrassed him publicly, and he couldn't even retaliate, only because he was youngest of the triplets. I laughed over it, and it helped me to get my thoughts in line.

Plus, it felt energetic to be with him. Maybe fate wasn't that cruel at all...

* * *

 **I hurt her again. Oh, I'm such a despicable human being.**

 **But at least they finally kissed! Yay! I was fangirling in the corner yeah! This is my second favorite ship! Which one's yours?**

 **So, am I supposed to give another glimpse of the sequel? Okay... lemme think...**

" _ **You are certainly not going to meet that rat." Yuusuke stood before her and folded his arms. Rat? How dare he call her love a rat?! She twisted her pout into an ugly scowl, and glared with her already reddened eyes. Drawing a knife from her belt, she swiftly pulled it out an pointed it to the redhead's neck, millimeters apart from his skin.**_

" _ **What did you call him?!" She fumed, and swung the edge of her knife. He stoically stood there.**_

" _ **You're gonna die." She discreetly said, still angry, but broke out in her psychotic laugh.**_

 **Hmm, revealed a bit too much, but I'm damn sure that you still have no idea how situation's gonna turn out to match the glimpses. It's ruthless and angsty, but better than the usual mushy-mushy love stories (though I personally am a fan).**

 **Okay! So, review, and fav and follow! I'm waiting!**

 **Love  
Diamond Shyn**


	37. Chapter 37: Heart To Heart

**Red Diamond**

 **Chapter 37 up! Wakey wakey!**

 **Sorry, unlike how I promised the last time, I couldn't post this earlier, since it's festive season here In India, and I couldn't even get a minute to write something.**

 **What happened to all the reviews? I admit that the previous update came on an unexpectedly short notice, but otherwise too – only two reviews? Reviews are what confirm me that there is an audience reading this, and I desperately love some of yours' comments. You know who you are, right?**

 **But thanks a lot** **Angelic Florence** **for following this story! 3**

 **Without anymore useless notes, let's start with the 37th chapter! It's basically a filler chapter. Not very excited for it, but I need to put this up for the sake of the original storyline. Added a few things, obviously, 'COZ BABY THIS IS MY STORY, SO MY CHOICE! I NEED ROMANCEEE~! (Add humor to it, and a hell lot of tragedy too – I'm a sad writer lol).**

 **Disclaimer: I just planned that I'll be stealing the copyright documents for Brothers Conflict as well as Diabolik Lovers. The plan is laid out, an accomplice on board with the mission, and our black suits – to look like the stereotypical thieves – ready. I just need two tickets for Japan, though...  
I do not own the anime and the characters until the next chapter, okay?**

* * *

Chapter 37: Heart To Heart

Sabrina's POV

Slivers of daylight entered my eyelids, flashing me a golden color in my dark unconsciousness. I began to blink, as the light reflected from the glass windows, and shifted a bit. However, my body couldn't move quite a lot. I opened my eyes and blinked twice to adjust to the light, and realized that I was sleeping with Natsume. His arms were draped around me figure, and my head was buried in his chest. Damn, I had no idea when I fell asleep the previous night.

I lofted my head gently, and observed his face while he slept peacefully. Strands of his orange hair were falling over his closed eyelids, and a small smile was formed on his lips. I smiled seeing how calm and less worked-up he looked while sleeping. The daylight shone on his pale face, delicately framing his perfect features.

I drew my hand to brush the hair away from his face, but stopped myself midway. I slightly yawned, and retreated my hand to cover my mouth. _Well, good morning to the beauty in the arms of her prince!_

I blushed, hearing my mini-me. What a beautiful morning! I inwardly argued, "Couldn't you make it more awkward?"

 _Couldn't you start your day with something better?_

"Dude, shut up."

 _Really? Then get out of your beloved's arms first._ I shifted slowly, putting off the covers off myself, in order to not interrupt Natsume's sleep. I shifted to the side opposite to Natsume, taking a minute per an inch, and slid away from underneath his arm. I kept shifting, when suddenly; he turned and extended his hand in sleep, and kept it on my waist. I lay unmoved for a minute or so, letting him drift back to his deep sleep, and then picked up his hand and placed it aside. I rolled and landed on my bottom, on the ground.

 _Mission 'Get Off The Bed' accomplished! Party!_

It took me about fifteen minutes, but I finally crawled out of the bed without even making a creek, and not even a moment later, his alarm went off.

He shuffled and blinked, and then sat up and stretched his arms, and then looked at me, while I stared at the clock in shock...

IT TOOK ME FIFTEEN DAMNED MINUTES TO GET OFF WIHTOUT WAKING HIM UP AND THE FREAKING PIECE OF CRAP SIMPLY WENT OFF LIKE BUZZZ! WHY ON EARTH DID I MAKE SO MANY ATTEMPTS?!

"'Morning." He said, and I snapped out of my shock to look at him and mutter a small, "Good morning."

"Did you sleep well?" He asked.

"Um, yes. Thanks for asking that." I said, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. He got off the bed and walked to the door, saying, "I better let Tsubaki and Azusa in now. They'll sure be mad." The second he opened the door, the two cats launched off the ground and landed on him, while he caught the two with his hands. Both of them seemed as if they were in for some blood – they wildly flailed their arms and tried to claw at his face, but he kept them centimeters away.

"Tsubaki! Azusa! Relax!" Natsume shrieked, and I ran out of the room to the kitchen. I randomly opened a few drawers, and found cat food in one. I rushed back to the room and opened the can. I whistled to the cats. The three looked in my direction, and I waved the can before them.

Natsume let Tsubaki and Azusa drop to the ground, and both the cats came running to me, and I kneeled down and kept the can before them. They ate from it and I petted them.

"That sure was impressive" Natsume remarked, and I stood up.

"I love cats, to be honest." I admitted.

He smirked and said, "This is the perfect place for you to stay in, then."

"It certainly is." I smirked back. He grinned and walked out of the room. I stretched a bit, and then went over to the kitchen, as the cats ran off. I heard the door open and then close in a jiffy, and I assumed that he must've gone outside.

"So, Tsubaki and Azusa, what are you guys up to?" I randomly asked the two, and one of them rubbed against my foot, asking me to pet him. I laughed and petted both of them. _Hmm, already in need of company?_

"How about I make breakfast?" I said to myself, and began searching for eatables in the kitchen. I eventually found a few ingredients to make a decent breakfast; otherwise, the whole kitchen was stocked with ready-to-eat stuff and cereal boxes, half of which were empty. _Just like your room, lol._

This took me about half an hour, and the door opened again. I began preparing for the dishes, and kept a knife nearby, so that I could defend myself if the one who entered was not Natsume but some intruder – my same old fear (can call it a thrilling story I made up in my mind when I was about fourteen, but never mind).

"Hey, what're you doing?" I heard Natsume behind me, and relieved, placed the knife back on its original place. I turned and replied, "Making some bre- wow that's too much!" I turned back to the frying pan in a second, since I had earlier turned to face Natsume wrapped only in a towel around his torso.

"My bad." He immediately said and I heard him walking back. He came back a few minutes later in a casual track, rubbing his head with a towel.

"I'm sorry for that. It's just that I have time before work, so I go for a run." He said, sitting near the folding table placed in the bedroom.

"You go for a run every day?" I asked, tossing the pancake in the frying pan.

"Yeah. Owe that much to Subaru, at least." He said. "Huh?" I said, as I looked at him from the kitchen.

"Forget that I said that."

"Okay... and the breakfast is ready." I brushed off the topic, and carried the plates of pancakes to the table. He brought the carton of juice from the fridge, and I set the toppings on it for the sake of a fine presentation.

He sat opposite to me and exclaimed, "That looks delicious. Don't tell me that those jerks get to eat such food every day." I chuckled and said, "Thanks for the appreciation, but the dish is just a simple pancake. No big deal."

"At least it's better than those boring cereals." He sighed.

"Saw those boxes. How do you even survive eating that?" I asked, taking a bite.

"For the record, I'm not a chef. And I don't even have you here to cook me such delicacies." He said.

"You're welcome for a breakfast every day in the Sunrise Mansion, _monsieur_." I asked. He grinned and began taking a bite, but from under the table, the two troublemakers began scratching his foot roughly.

"Ouch! Both of you again!" He yelled at picked both of them up. The next thing I knew was that the two of them were clawing the window, trying to get inside the room.

"They look so pissed off." Natsume remarked, looking at the two. _Only if looks could kill..._

I laughed, and the doorbell rang. "Sabrina-chan?" Louis' voice came from the other side of the door.

"Oh hey, Louis." Natsume said, and then in a low voice said to me, "I informed them last night, otherwise things could've gotten out of hand. They surely would've contacted the cops." That's when I realized that they really must've been concerned about me, and I was being the moron all the time.

Natsume opened the door for Louis, who entered with a shopping bag in his hands. "Hi, Sabrina-chan. How are you feeling now?"

"I'm way better, ready to beat the crap out of the playboy." I chuckled, and Louis looked perplexed. "I'll explain it all to you." Natsume said, sitting by his side of the table.

"I'll get you a plate too, for the story is lengthy." I prepared another pancake for Louis, and the three of us had the breakfast together. After we finished, Natsume stated, "Delicious again."

"Thanks again." I said, looking at him. Louis looked at both us and then clapped his hands. "I've got you something, Sabrina-chan!" He pulled out blue t-shirt dress from his shopping bag. It had netted collar area, and was sky blue in color.

"Looks cool." I said.

"But don't you have to go to the condo?" The orange-haired man asked.

"I guess this'll make her feel better." Louis excused. Natsume sighed and said, "Then I'll explain the matter to the others. You're fine with some pampering?"

"Missed it, actually." I joked. Natsume got dressed for his work, while Louis made me wear the dress and styled my hair. I was honestly grateful for the dress, since I had nothing else to wear. He braided my hair into a fish tail, and also got me a hat, light yellow in color, with a sky blue ribbon around it, so that it matched with my dress.

"It suits you perfect!" Louis slightly exclaimed, grinning at me.

"You've got the power to transform a second hand car into a brand new Audi, Louis-san." I said, playing with the end of my hand, looking at the mirror set before me.

"I like to see the smile. You didn't have to be so depressed over someone's words." He said, and I replied, "Still, feeling like a burden to someone isn't something you would like." Louis only smiled in return, and suggested, "What about a boat ride in the park? Sounds fun?"

"Absolutely." I agreed. We went to the nearby park, which had a lake connected to it, and rented a boat for a ride. Louis rowed the boat, while I looked at the others boating around us. A group of children were rowing around us, making a ruckus and laughing about. That was me when I was younger.

 _Not younger anymore. Need to make some important life decisions, for example, choosing a brother to be your beau or not._

"Like you earlier said about feeling like a burden to someone?" Louis woke me up from my thoughts, and I said, "yeah..."

"I can relate."

"How?"

"Because I know the feeling, knowing that I too, am adopted."

"What?!" I was taken aback. Oh, no words can describe the shock I felt at that moment. He did seem like he had his head in the clouds, but was still close to the family. How could he, of all people, not be related to the Asahinas by blood?

"It sure came as a surprise to you, didn't it?" He said, and I nodded. He looked at the lake beside us, stopping the boat at a certain spot, but his eyes told a different story. His gaze seemed distant, as if he was going back the memory lane, reminiscing something seemingly unpleasant. He began, "I was two when Miwa ma'am was kind enough to adopt me. Before that, I lived in an orphanage. Only the first seven know the fact of me being adopted. The secret hasn't been disclosed from the rest five."

"Okay..." I said.

"You know, I'm aware how you must've felt yesterday. Felling like a burden, and more than that, feeling lost. Right?"

"Accurate."

"That's because you know that amidst all the brothers connected with blood, you felt like an outcast. You felt different. You already know that you aren't mom's daughter by blood, but highlighting the thought doesn't help. It just sucks, and it sums up the total feeling, right?"

"Yeah..." I said, looking at his face. He had my full attention. Turned out that he did know a lot about me.

"I felt the same way. Seeing from afar, I observed that all these brothers shared something in common, while my quirks were entirely different. Deep down, I knew I wasn't being logical, distancing myself from all of them, but with time, my perceptions changed. Miwa is my mother, and all of her boys are my brothers." He looked at me with a smile.

"Sabrina," He said, placing his hand on mine, "the relation by blood doesn't matter. What matters is the connection by heart."

"By heart..." I repeated.

"Yes. I have no memories of my birth parents, but I certainly have tons of memories with the Asahina boys which I will cherish forever. The most important thing in a family is the love for each other. The strings connecting our hearts to each others. The care and concern for each other. The rush of happiness when someone in our family is happy something, or the sorrow we feel for them when they are down."

He came forward and took me in an embrace, "It took time, but I reached the point where I could trust my family blindly, when I felt a sense of belonging with them. And I know that you too have grown very close to us."

"I have. I really have." I admitted, returning the embrace.

"Just do me a favor, Sabrina-chan; consider me your family. Consider all of us your family, will you?"

"Without another word." I grinned, breaking the hug.

"Can we go back to the condo, where our family is?" He asked, and I nodded. He unexpectedly came forward and kissed my cheek. "Thank you, Sabrina-chan." He said.

O~O~O

"I'm sorry." I hung my head, and the others rose from their seats.

"Finally, Sabrina! Don't ever do that again! I was so freakin' worried!" Yuusuke was the first one to come rushing to me. I bit my tongue and whispered to him, "Sorry man."

"Hi..." I muttered, unsure of whether I was about to be punished or something. _He didn't go to school today?_ To my surprise, the others cracked a smile on their faces, and with their warmest and the most-welcoming attitudes, the welcomed me back inside. It was a wonder that they weren't upset with me for being so careless and stupid.

"You don't need to apologize." Masaomi said.

"I'll make a few phone calls and let everyone who's out know that you're here."Ukyo said.

"Glad to know you're safe." Subaru whispered form the side.

"Welcome home. We got to know what happened, and the twins just left to have a talk with the school authorities." Iori said. Parting the crowd, Wataru came running to me and wrapped his arms around my waist, stuffing his face in my torso.

"You'll be punished for making me worry so much. Be ready." The salmon-haired boy said, and I looked down at him in confusion. He lifted his head up, and with an ear-to-ear grin, he said, "Fuuto sent that message for you!" Ah, so he was worried too?

"Wataru, you shouldn't say like that." Masaomi said. He then turned to me, "I bet you're tired."

"Not at all. In fact, Ukyo-san, can I cook the lunch for you all today?" I implored, and he nodded, "Sure you can."

"Yay! I want to have hamburger steak tonight! Or wait, what about curry! I'll have both!" Wataru rejoiced, taking my hand and leading me to the kitchen.

"Don't get too excited, Wataru." Yuusuke said.

"It's okay, and let's make whatever you want!" I said. Ukyo took some dough to prepare for the hamburger, and Wataru and I commence making curry. Yuusuke and Subaru joined Ukyo too, so it was basically a teamwork dinner.

While stirring the curry, I had a flashback of the time when I was eleven years old, and I hid my science paper from my parents since I had scored less marks. They got to know about it very soon, and instead of scolding me for hiding my result, papa said – 'You don't need to hide anything from your family. You know that we'll always support you. Be open with one's who care for you. That's the least one can do.'

"Yes papa, I'll be more open now." I accidentally said out the answer I had given six years back out loud. Wataru looked up at me in confusion, and I giggled. He too, laughed with me.

 _Yes papa. We'll be more open now..._

* * *

 **Wow. Lame ending. But never mind.**

 **It actually turned out to be fun writing this emotional stuff. I haven't written something like that since months, so I thought I had lost the skills, but it felt good to do so. How was it?**

 **Another thing: I have decided on doing this thing called 'Ask Your Character' (I wanted to add 'she won't bite' next to it, but yeah, that would've been weird). You can ask any character from this story anything, and the answers would be provided in the next chapter. Well, don't ask about the ending, but yeah, anything damn thing other than that it allowed (and by the ending, I also mean the final ship).**

 **For that, you have the regular BroCon characters, and my OCs:  
Sabrina  
Josh Richardson (appearance later in the story – more like a glimpse before the sequel comes, but whatever)  
Sabrina's Uncle, Anwar Kapoor (I made up the name just now, but he is a damn important character in the story)  
And Sabrina's dead family members (I'll let you talk to the spirits too) **

**( NOTE: I know this makes no sense whatsoever, but I'm curious about the questions you have in mind. Also, that this question-answer thing is open for the rest of the story. Just don't ask me to disclose the plot, and that's it.) **

**So, review! Ask me anything, follow, fav, and keep that smile on your face!**

 **Regards,  
Diamond Shyn**


	38. Chapter 38: Progress and Past Lovers

**Red Diamond**

 **Heyyy! Early update because I flunked school today, so had a lot of time.**

 **I've been watching AMVs (animated music videos) of BroCon on YouTube, and I've come across SOOOOO MANYYYY, like, what the hell, man?! Have you got nothing else to do except for fangirling?! (Can't say this, because this fanfic is also a result of fangirling) But you should definitely check out '** _ **All Of Me – Yusuke X Ema**_ **' video. It's absolutely cute! And also '** _ **Heart Attack – Natsume X Ema**_ **' and '** _ **Super Psycho Love – Tsubaki X Ema X Fuuto**_ **'. (NOTE: I'm not advertising anyone's videos. Heck, I don't even know who made these!)**

 **Also, I got no questions for the** _ **Ask Your Character (she won't bite)**_ **thingy. It's okay, but wanted to let you know that it's open for the whole story.**

 **And, thank you for the reviews! Don't stop the reviews from coming, dears! Each one counts.**

 **I have a lot of humorous scenarios in my mind, but imma save that for another day, because we need to proceed with the story line. I officially announce that I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HECK I'M GONNA WRITE IN THIS CHAPPIE, but I can let you know that in just a few more chapters, we'll be going somewhere – a place where you'll get your climax, and progress towards the end of the story.  
I told you earlier too that we're nearing the end of the story. **

**Don't worry; I'll complete the storyline before we end.**

 **So yeah, let's start the chapter! I hope you like it!**

 **Disclaimer: Bad news, guys! My mom just walked in on me and my friend discussing our final plan to raid the Rejet's office, so I'm kinda grounded. Hereby, I do not own Brothers Conflict, but just my OCs and the plot. WHYYYYY GODDDD!?**

* * *

Chapter 38: Progress And Past Lover

Sabrina's POV

My alarm buzzed. It was time for another day, after a weekend. I was going to be in the school again. People probably must be gossiping about me, but I had to face them. I got ready and turned in for the breakfast. Seating myself next to Yuusuke, I commenced with my breakfast.

The twins seated themselves opposite to us. Azusa spoke up, "We talked to the Principal about Sasakura. He's suspended for a while."

"Had to be suspended. He looks like a duck. I've got no idea how so many came to support him." Tsubaki locked his arms behind his head. I snickered at that remark.

"Yeah. All that sassy bastard does is to woo girls." Yuusuke said.

"Something that our _Yuusuke-kun_ doesn't do~" Tsubaki teased. "Not again..." I heard Azusa whisper.

I joined in the chat too, "Mhm... That's the truth of the century."

"Wha- What the hell? Weren't we talking about that jerk just now?!" I laughed at him.

"Yeah, but-" Tsubaki said, but was interrupted by a phone call. "It's the manager... excuse me." He said and picked up the call, silencing us all. Yuusuke looked at him skeptically while he had a word with the caller. The call ended, and he stood up like a typical gentleman, and said, "I'm sorry, but I've gotta go to work. I'll see you later." _HOW. MANNERLY. What has gotten into him?!_

The politeness came as a surprise to me... and a shock to Yuusuke. He spit out his water and looked at his figure unbelievingly. I too, stared at him agape, as he went and boarded the elevator. Azusa was still at the table, wearing a not-so-surprised face.

"Wow. What happened to him?" I asked Azusa. Yuusuke chimed in, "Is he down with fever or high on cocaine?"

"It's just that he has gotten more responsible ever since that... accident." Azusa said. Yuusuke slammed his plate on the table and said, "I'm sure to go crazy with you all. I'm leaving!"

"How offbeat..." I remarked after he was gone. Azusa also picked his stuff and departed, but before leaving, he turned to me and said, "Do you like the change in him?"

"I certainly do. It's good for him, now that he seems more focused." I replied.

"Yes. He has become way more focused and determined than before." He stated.

"Yeah. I like how he still has the funny bone, though. I think it's awesome how hard he is working towards pursuing his dream role. He has a new fire." I remarked.

"You think so?" He asked.

"Yes, why?"

"He's more determined, but for another reason." I guess I got his reference, and he continued, "When you think of him, you should see the man he has become, not the boy he used to be."

"Mhm."

"And I think you should take that into consideration when you decide on an answer to our feelings."

"O-Okay."

"I won't pressurize you to get an answer to our feelings till your exams are over, even though they are a couple of months away. I understand the stress you are facing. I'll just let it be."

"Thanks for that." I replied. He boarded the elevator, and I let go of the breath I didn't know I was holding in. _You have to give them an answer._

"I know that."

 _Youhavetogivethemanansweryouhavetogivethemanansweryouhavetogivethemananswer-_ That was the last thing I needed – for my mini-me to panic. Wow, good luck to me, then!

I went to collect my belongings from my room. Exiting the building, I saw Yuusuke waiting down for me. "Hey, you look tense. What's going on?" He asked once we started. I realized that I had been wearing that 'deep-in-thought' face and I immediately cleared up the stress off my expression. _Okay I'll shut up._

"It's just that..." _C'mon tell him! He's a good guy!_ Now she said it. He was a 'good guy'. I took in a deep breath and spilled out, "There has been something going on."

He stopped walking. "What?" He asked hesitantly.

"Well, our _brothers_... you know, like, oh my god how do I say it?!" I exploded. He took a step closer and asked, with panic evident in his voice, "What with our brothers?"

"A few asked me out. Oh shit, but yes." I said, and for a moment, it looked like he had gotten a cardiac arrest. He slapped a hand on his chest, and took a few steps back, till he was twenty foot away from me.

 _Dude, you're overreacting. Even I didn't do that, but oh my god youhavetogivethemananswer! OMG! OMG!_

"Why am I stuck with weirdoes?" I sighed, saying it under my breath. I approached Yuusuke, who had a traumatized mien, sitting on the ground, still keeping a hand on his chest. "Why god..." He cried.

"Dude?" I folded my arms and arched my eyebrows, and he looked up. "Really? Masaomi-nii and Ukoy-nii too?"

"Wait, no. Only Subaru and the triplets." I clarified.

"Subaru-nii also!? The one who stayed meters away from girls?! He asked you out?!" He shrieked.

"Yeah, boy, and I don't know what to do anymore..." I walked on, and he got up from his position and followed me. When he had caught up to me, I continued "It's so complicated. You understand me? Like, one moment, you think it is someone would love you like a brother, and bam! They kiss you out of the blues."

"T-they k-k-k-kissed you?!" He exclaimed, and I nodded in embarrassment.

"What the hell is wrong with these bastards!?" He thundered, but I shushed him. "You aren't telling this to anyone, got it?"

"But-"

"For the sake of my reputation. For me?" I insisted, and he turned his head. With a light blush, he turned his face back to me, and said, "Okay... but maintain some distance with these jerks."

"Sure!" I chuckled. We reached the school, and once we were inside, Mahoko came running to me and hugged me. "How are you?" She asked with concern. I hugged her back and said, "Way better."

"Your brothers got him suspended. He lost the chance of becoming a president too. He's ruined." She informed, and I raised my fist in victory. "Served him well." I said, but she retreated and shook her head, "He should be beaten to a pulp."

"What? Is this coming from the same Mahoko?!" I asked, and she nodded, rolling her sleeves up.

"Of course! No guy can dare to insult my bestie!" She proudly said.

"Aw! Thanks!" I cooed in, and Yuusuke said, "Whatever. I would've killed him by now."

"Then why didn't you?" Mahoko demanded, and he shrugged, "My brothers would kick me out of the house."

"Thank god you didn't do that!" I heaved a breath of relief.

"Don't like to be a delinquent, do you? Lover boy!" Mahoko teased, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Lover boy? What the heck!" Yuusuke yelled, and I calmed him down, holding his shoulders. I said to Mahoko, "Don't say that. He has been through a lot today..."

"If you say so, I won't tease Fuuto-kun's brother."

"What the hell!" Yuusuke roared, and the two got into a fight. Oh, poor me...

We walked further into the school, and people strolling in the corridors began staring at me. A few whispers rose in the background, and I fidgeted with the hemming of my skirt. It was uncomfortable to be the center of the attention in gossips. Yuusuke and Mahoko's argument died down, and the redhead glared at the girls staring at me. Mahoko kept a comforting hand on my shoulder.

We walked a bit faster, and then the sound of whispers turned into gasps. _What?_

"Isn't it my sweet nee-san and my delinquent elder brother?" Fuuto said, walking to us. Yuusuke face-palmed, and Mahoko drooled. I hadn't met him ever since the annual day dance, when he behaved oddly after kissing me. I had to ask him why he did that. The idol kept a hand on my shoulder and said, "How are you feeling now?"

"I'm better. Thanks for asking." His hand on my shoulder extended to wrap both of my shoulders in his arm, and he walked further with me, "I had something to do, nee-san." He said.

"Yes?"

"Come with me to the library?" He demanded, and I agreed, deciding on whether he was asking for help in studies. Obviously, what else can a person do in a library?

A lot – I realized very soon.

We entered the quiet, dimly lit library. Not a soul was to be found inside the room, but just long lanes of book shelves. The atmosphere inside was warm, and only the sunlight illuminated the chamber. "So, what did you want to do?" I asked him.

"Follow me." He said, smirking, and went inside the lanes. I went behind him, and the place was like a maze. I caught a sight of the _Percy Jackson_ series, and I stopped there, examining the shelf. After a couple of minutes, I realized that I had lost the company of Fuuto. I left the book in my hand and went further into the maze, calling out his name in a low voice, "Fuuto? Where are you?"

Suddenly, a hand crept its way up my back, giving me the chills up my spine, and wrapped around my shoulder blade. The invader's other hand intertwined its fingers with mine, and my breath hitched in my throat. "Fuuto, is it you?" I uncertainly asked.

"I had to punish you, remember?" He whispered in my ear. I gulped.

"Fuuto-" I began, and he turned me to face him and crashed his lips against mine. "I missed this." He said, parting away. However, he still held me by my waist, and his other hand was around the nape of my neck. He ran his thumb in circles on my waist, and moved his face closer to my neck. I held my breath. _This ain't going good._

I'll make you mine, and only mine." He whispered, and kissed my neck. A shiver travelled up my spine. Was there no one in the entire library to help me?!

"Fuuto, no." I warned, but he didn't stop.

"No, Fuuto." I said even boldly, but his response came, "What I like, I take, and I don't need your permission, _nee-san_." He smirked, and trailed down another chain of kisses. I felt numb. It was like I had the utmost power in the world, but I wasn't able to use it. My arms were free, and I had the chance to beat him down, but I couldn't. It seemed like I had lost control over myself.

"Am I too irresistible? Or maybe you're just playing games with us all?" He said, looking into my eyes. I vehemently denied, letting go of my strong demeanor. All I wanted was to clear all kinds of misunderstandings there and then.

"Look at yourself. Your eyes shine with innocence, yet you look so enticing..." He said, burying his lower face into the crook of my neck.

"You're getting it all wrong!" I protested, but he laughed at my petty dissent.

"All my brothers are idiots, being fooled by your act. I know you're playing us all."

"No way in hell!" I said, placing a hand on his chest and slightly pushing him away. Our position was making me uneasy.

"But let me prove my undying love to you." He pecked my on the lips, and I pushed him away. He fell back on the ground, and laughed nervously and said, "Ow, you're stronger than I thought."

"You've gotta stop this bullshit! You don't love me. You... can't love me." I said, standing up.

"Ah, who told you that?" He chuckled, getting up and brushing his shoulders, "The truth remains that you made us fall in love with you, and now there's no way out." I remained quiet, unable to respond. He stepped closer to me and said, "And I like you better this way – hard to get."

I averted my eyes, and he held my chin and lifted my face. "Just know that I'll be the one to win you. Till then, a kiss for you to treasure." He left a small kiss on my forehead, and tread his way to the exit of the library. I remained in the library, calming down my racing heart. It seemed as if it would burst out of my chest any moment.

 _What the heck was that?_

"Another... declaration." I sighed.

 _Hmm, so let me count... Subaru, Fuuto, Tsubaki, Azusa, and Natsume... total five. Damn, other girl must be envious of your fate._

"Nah. I certainly don't feel lucky." I said. Thus, I flunked the first period. The bell for the second class rang, and I exited the room. Heading towards my class, my hand went up to my neck where Fuuto did... _stuff_ , and I realized that _he had given me hickeys._

 _Oh shit._

I covered the area with my hand in a jiffy, as my eyes widened, and I inwardly cursed him. I rushed to the nearest restroom. Seeing the hickeys on the mirror, I grimaced. I placed a braid on the spot, and checked if anything was visible. After washing my face and reassuring myself that I wasn't going to encounter another person intending to propose me, I went to my class.

"What happened? Did the bastard do anything to you?" Yuusuke said, and I denied.

"No. He just needed some help in math." I lied. He looked at me suspiciously before going back to his seat. Thankfully, he hadn't noticed the marks on my neck, and I heaved a sigh of relief and went to my own seat as well.

O~O~O

'The truth remains that you made us fall in love with you, and now there's no way out.' – His words from earlier in the day sounded in my ears, while I made the dinner. I was alone on the floor, and I didn't even care if anyone entered or not. I was lost in my own fantasies.

However, I was brought back to reality when I accidentally touched a hot utensil. "Ow!" I withdrew my hand, turned the tap in the sink on, and put my had under the cool stream of water.

"What happened?" Iori came rushing to me, and I sheepishly said, "Nothing at all; I just burnt my hand."

He sighed. "Don't worry; I'll help you make the dinner." He volunteered to help, and I asked with wide eyes, "You know how to cook food?"

"Yes. I know how to cook three different cuisines." He said, setting a few chopped vegetables to boil. I watched as I applied some cream on my hand, and I soon joined him too.

"So, how's life?" I asked, and he replied, "Just fine, I guess."

"Fine, like royal?" I asked and chuckled. He silenced. I thought my joke was too lame and continued in silence. I knew he wouldn't act so rude, but I just let it be. I looked at him, and this time, he was lost in thought. I cleared my throat, and he looked at me.

"What's going on?" I asked, and he shrugged it off, saying, "Just thought of someone."

Out of my subconscious mind, I slipped out, "Um, is it Fuyuka?" I heard some silverware drop to the ground, and I turned to him, and saw him... horrified. "What happened?" I asked, concerned.

"How do you know her name?" He asked, breathing heavily.

"K-Kaname-nii told me." I hesitantly replied. I knew something fishy was up. He nervously laughed and muttered, "Of course, he would."

"What's the matter? Did I say something wrong?"

"You just made me face the reailty." Came his reply. I was confounded, and I stared at him in part curiosity and part perplexity, as he held his head in his hands and broke out in tears. As soon as I saw him breaking down, I rushed to him and put an arm around his shoulders.

"What is happening?" I asked, panicking.

"Who are you?" He asked with teary eyes.

"Huh? What?" _Wait, what?_

"Are you Fuyuka?" He innocently asked, and I shook my head. Maybe he was missing her – just as Kaname told me, she lived somewhere far away. Perhaps she was someone special to him.

"I'm Sabrina, and-and Fuyuka will be back, okay?" I tried to reassure him like a child, but he pushed me away, and shouted, "Liar! She can never be back!"

"Why can't she-"

"Because she's dead." Well, that silenced me. Damn, and that was why he was acting psychotically. He must be traumatized.

"I'm... sorry for that. I didn't know that." I said in a barely audible voice. There was silence in the room, except for his sobs. He suddenly said, "She left me. She betrayed me. She told me she would never leave, but she had to go out that night, in spite of me telling her to stop..." His voice died down at the end of his sentence, and I took him in an embrace.

"Stop crying, please." Even I had a tear or two running down my face. The moment was so heavy and intense; I wondered how he was able to handle himself all this while.

"But she's gone..." He cried on my shoulder, and I rubbed his back.

"That's all in the past now, right?" I comforted him, wiping the tears off his face, "She'll be with you forever." He stayed silent. I continued, "We'll start again. I'm here with you, okay. Everything will be alright, from now on."

"And you won't leave me?" His gaze penetrated into me, his eyes sparkling with childlike innocence.

"No, I won't." I said.

"Promise me." He demanded, and I smiled a little and promised him, "I promise." And we sat there, silent and still, with our backs against the kitchen counter.

* * *

 **OOOOHHHHKAAAAYYYYY all of you, who were thinking that Iori might murder her, thinking that she's Fuyuka (in short, my classmates) but unfortunately no, my dears, that can't happen.**

 **OMG IT WAS SO CRINGY TO WRITE THAT PART WITH FUUTO YUKKKKKKK! I was literally like, "Wtf am I writing?!" But I wrote it, and I was cringing the whole time. I don't write that stuff, man! Ew!**

 **And I have nothing else to say, so yeah, leave your reviews and questions, follow and fav on your way out, and keep reading! Ily! ;)**

 **Love,  
Diamond Shyn**


	39. Chapter 39: Vast Imagination - Despacito

**Red Diamond**

 **Hey? Anyone there?**

 **I got only ONE review for the previous chapter, and guys, it wasn't THAT bad, was it? What happened to the active reviewers? The ones who keep the story alive? The happy ones?**

 _ **~Where are you now?  
Under the sea... under the sea...  
Where are you now?  
Another dream...~ **_

**_Faded_ by Alan Walker, suited best for what I wanted to say, anyway... **

**No questions, too. :/**

 **Aw, I'm sooo alone! T.T**

 **Nah, kidding. I'm so not in the mood to cry, lol. Just don't do that again. You guys scared me that no one is reading the story. Are the early updates that rare?**

 **Let's start with the chapter! I really hope you like it!**

 **Song references: Don't let me down by the Chainsmokers ft, Daya (can't get enough, can you?)  
Despacito by... you know whom, Justin Bieber, Luis Fonsi, and Daddy Yankee (no trolls but I hate the song) **

**Disclaimer: I officially announce that I do not own the anime Brothers Conflict or its characters (aw, man!) but only my OCs. Also, I do not own the songs used.**

* * *

Chapter 39: Vast Imagination... Despacito

Sabrina's POV

"Hey, Natsume-san!" I greeted as I entered, the sun setting behind me. I had come to his residence after a month since I had a recurring problem in the game he recently got me to test.

"Hey." He said, and Tsubaki and Azusa came running to me. I bent and cheerfully cooed, "How're you guys doing?" They meowed in return.

"Hm, so what brought you here?" He asked, as we walked to his room.

"I just wished to meet you."

"Is that so?"

"Umm no." I playfully chuckled, and showed him the game I had brought with me. "I've got some problem playing it."

"Really? Set it on the TV, then." He said, and I went inside the room. It loaded, and as the background sound played, I explained, "It's this gun I need kill their boss, but I can't find it."

"It should be somewhere between the tanks, as I remember."

"I searched there too, and there wasn't. The other guns failed to kill him, so I'm stuck at the last level."

"Play the last stage again, let's see what we can do." He advised, and I set on to gaming. I had to admit, the last stage required a lot of concentration, and I focused only on the game, blocking everything else, including the meows from Tsubaki and Azusa.

"Sabrina?" I heard him call out, and I replied with a light, "Hm?"

"Hey, are you listening?"

"Hm hm?" I had my back hunched and my eyes stuck to the screen.

"Back off a little, that much closeness would damage your eyes."

"Hm." I replied, not at all comprehending what he was saying.

"Hey." I felt him stand behind me. I simply nodded, murmuring, "Come on you zombies... I'll beat that undead crap outta you!"

"Sabrina!" He exclaimed, tickling me on the sides of my waist, startling me. I completely lost control of the remote and burst out laughing. "You don't do that." I warned, cautiously slipping away. He smirked and tickled me again, and I fell on the ground, laughing like a madman. "No... urgh stop! Ahahaha..." I said between the fits. He was also laughing and tickling me, till I held his hands and took deep breaths to gain the oxygen I had lost completely.

"No..." I said, still giggling, and holding onto his hands so that he won't tickle me again, "I'm gonna die tonight." He laughed, and I pouted. I poked him on his waist, and a shock visibly ran through his body, so it was my turn to tickle him, and I did that till the time he was laying on the floor, begging me to stop.

"I'm so cruel and I know that hah!" I said, smirking in victory. He got up from his position, with traces of laughter still on his face, and said, "Revenge, that is."

"Ah hah!" I agreed, folding my arms, and laughing. We totally forgot about the game and were randomly chatting away, till the sun had set and it was night.

"I'll give you a ride back." He said, and both of us got into the car. On the way, I stared out of the window, leaning on the door, watching the cars pass by us and competing with their speed in my brain, when I randomly said, "You know what? I love long car rides."

"Me too." He said and turned the car in a direction different from the Sunrise Residence.

"Where are we going?" I asked, straightening myself and sitting straight.

"For a long drive." He replied, grinning by his side.

"Love ya for that!" I exclaimed, and turned to the window, and realized what I had said. Of course I couldn't take my words back. There was an awkward silence in the car, and I simply shifted.

I looked intently at the city lights as they illuminated the city at night. One couldn't get a better view from where I was at that moment – better than the view from the balconies of Sunrise Residence... sitting on a cliff at the mere end of the city. I swung my legs and looked down, and wondered how many bones I would break if I fell down.

 _All 206 bones._

Shivering, I placed a hand on Natsume's hand, who was comfortably sitting back, one leg swinging and the other folded. "This is beautiful... have you come here earlier?" I asked in a low voice in order to not break the soothing atmosphere.

"Yeah, by mistake, when I got lost taking my first driving lessons." He replied. We stayed silent for some time, admiring the view, when he suddenly shot up a question, "Mind if I ask something?"

"Go on." I replied.

"What do you think of my brothers?" I understood _exactly_ what he meant, but I decided to play it dumb.

"They're pretty nice people-" I blurted out. But he interjected, looking at me, forcing me to look at him, "You know what I mean, right?"

 _Damn, and he caught you!_

I sighed and said, "They are all my brothers, even you are, for that matter. This relationship thing all of a sudden is... overwhelming. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect this all to happen, and I'm in a dilemma. A brother, or a..." I ended, looking back at the view before us.

"Lemme clear one thing here. I know that my brothers like you too, but I think it's completely co-incidental. If I had met you as a man and not as a brother, and then fallen for you, then would you accept me, or any of us, in that case?"

"Maybe..." I replied, playing with my hair.

"That's the point. Okay, I'll not try to be cheesy here, but I don't think that our relationships determined love. It just... happened." He said, and I saw a tint of redness on his cheeks, thanks to the bright lights. I inwardly smiled seeing that.

"I think you're right, but I've seen you all like bothers all this while."

"Why don't you try seeing us like men and not as your brothers? I think that would help." He suggested, and I reluctantly came to a conclusion in my mind that I had to try that method.

"I think I should try that." I replied and reflected on that thought. That would be difficult, but okay, remember 'try, try, but don't cry'? My mind eventually shifted to his statement that he knew his brothers were in love with me. How did he? Was a secret detective informing him with the happenings in the house? Or was he spying on us? Or had Trump (or the aliens) phoned him and told him that?

Then I was reminded that Fuuto stated in school when that incident happened that he too, was aware of the feelings the brothers harbored for me. What the hell was going on?

"Hey, as you said earlier that you know about the others confessions. How do you know that?" I asked, deep in curiosity.

"Well, it's kind of a brothers' secret." He slyly replied, and I puffed my cheeks. He snickered, leaving me to no conclusion.

O~O~O

I stood behind my door, ready for the day. It was a weekend, and my mission for the day was to 'Not see my brothers as brothers'. _Pretty... complicated?_

"Yeah, can't agree more!" I said.

 _But what do you have to do?_

Wait...

What was I supposed to do?

"I still see them as human beings; classify them as Homo sapiens, see them walking on two legs, speaking through their mouth and not their ears. Wtf?" I said, twisting my face into a funny expression.

 _Go for it. I'll provide you with all the... thoughts you need. Call it an experiment._

"I'm trusting you once again, okay? Don't let me down."

 _~Don't let me down, down, down!~_

"Okay, we're going." I said as I descended down the stairs on the fifth floor, getting a view of the twins, Yuusuke, Subaru, and Louis.

 _Mostly all of them are here. Best of luckiiieeee!~_

"Mhm" I nodded to myself as I awkwardly stepped down the stairs. Yuusuke noticed me and said, "Hey"

"Hey there!" I said as cheerfully as I could. I went over to the couches and sat down. On my right were Tsubaki and Azusa, and on my left was Louis, beside whom was Subaru. Yuusuke was in the kitchen, raiding the fridge.

 _Turn your head! Turn your head!_

"If a jiffy, I turned my head to Louis, who said, "Hello Sabrina-chan."

"Hey~" I said with a sugar-coated, sickly sweet voice. He looked at me in confusion, then I have no idea what he understood out of my condition, but whatever he did, he had a huge smile on his face, like he was about to laugh out.

 _Wow, that was awkward. Turn to the right._

I immediately turned to the twins. "Hi, watcha doing?" I causally said.

"Getting bored, what about you?" Tsubaki said, locking his arms behind his head. Right then, Wataru came into the room and sat between me and Louis. I shifted a bit near Tsubaki, and my leg slightly touched to his.

 _See, both of you are just a few layers away. You know, uh, there are just a few layers of clothes between both of you and-_

"Stop!" I inwardly screamed, and my face scrunched up in disgust on the outside. Really? Was I really supposed to imagine such indecent things? Yuk.

 _Umm, oh yeah! Despacito! ~_ Tú, tú eres el imán y yo soy el metal; Me voy acercando y voy armando el plan~

"Stop singing _Despacito_ for God's sake! You do know that I understand the meaning, yeah?" I argued inwardly, uneasily looking at faces in the room. It meant 'You, you are the magnet and I am the metal  
I'm getting closer and I'm putting together the plan'... how indecent for a sister to say to a brother. The thought alone made me cringe.

Wataru noticed that and asked, "What happened to you, onee-chan?" Now, all eyes were on me, with me still being uncomfortable.

.

.

.

Let me just clarify this – I was still so guilty for even thinking like that, with the male being no one other than Tsubaki, out of all people (I admit it would've been worse with Fuuto).

Louis looked at me; I believe understanding something, and smiling wider. I smiled nervously at him and slightly shook my head. Now that I was the centre of the attention, I had to hurry out of their gazes. What excuse could I use to exit? That I had to make a cupcake for Larry? Wait, who the hell is Larry now? Liam and Harry from _One Direction_? Shut up, no. Then... Shrek called me to return his face to him? Nah! Then Titanic is sinking and I need to save Hillary Clinton onboard? C'mon!

An idea struck my mind.

"W-Wataru-kun! Why don't we play with Usa-tan?" I asked, and his eyes lit up.

"Really? You wanna play with me?!" He exclaimed, and wasted no time in grasping my hand and running to the elevator. I scurried away with a self hi-five.

Once we reached his room, he spread all the stuff toys he had. I clung onto one of the fluffiest teddy bears I could find. I sat there, thinking about the situation that just happened and cringing. What the hell was wrong with my mini-me?!

 _Just helping you there. Like I'll help you now. Just, um, imagine that the teddy bear you are clinging to is one of the brothers, for example umm, Fuuto!_

"Eek!" I left it with a shriek, and Wataru looked at me.

 _Sorry. Maybe Natsume, then?_ I face-palmed, though Natsume's reference didn't affect me that badly, but just made me blush a little.

"What happened to you, onee-chan?" Wataru asked, coming over to me.

"Nothing, just saw an insect somewhere there."

"Oh." He said, and I went back to my thoughts. _Yes, it is like an insect, creeping up your spine, flowing through your veins, spreading across your body like a wildfire. It's like a disease, now spiraling in the air of this house, causing these sick people, so sick in this labyrinth. It's like wine, for most of the men in the house are already high with it._

"Nice, but what is it?" I inaudibly asked.

 _Love, that is._

"What?" I asked a little louder, and didn't receive a reply. I sighed in irritation, "Urgh..."

* * *

 **A shorter chapter than usual, because I have my class assembly coming up, and I'm a participant in three things yay! I'm gonna be a singer in it too, though, I've never tried singing before people ever! And I'm gonna take a mike and sing for the first time! Wow, it's gonna be thrilling!**

 **Poll open for questions, and yes, please please please review, and be sure to add this story in the list of your favs and follows!**

 **Yours Truly,  
Diamond Shyn **


	40. Chapter 40: Basketball & Brother

**Red Diamond**

 **Heyyyy! It's chapter #40!**

 **So, thank you for the reviews! I did receive much this time! You guys are the best! (Reply to the review of** **Charu csk** **: Sowiiee! You commented as a guest reviewer, that's why I couldn't reply to your review! Well, here's a chapter!)**

 **Thanks a lot** **Anime no Akuma** **for favoriting this story! *insert a cute smiley face***

 **Alsooo, there's some little...** _ **problem**_ **. Actually, my very dear friend made a 'quote-image' from Wattpad (since this story is there too) from the 37th chapter – that line 'who said that word can't hurt' – and then uploaded it as her status. So, my mom got to know about it, and she surprisingly liked it very much, and being the typical Punjabi mom she is, she forwarded it to almost all her contacts, flaunting about me (insert face-palm). But, the thing is, that almost ALL THE ELDERS OF HER AGE ARE READING THIS FANFIC, and I'm paranoid about the scenes I've written *cough cough** **kissing scenes** **cough cough* She even sent them the links to my story, and is READING MY STORY HERSELF. One of my aunts is on chapter four right now XD.  
Shit.  
What the hell have I done?!  
After they read this story and kill me, can someone please burn down my diary and avenge my death? **

**Anyway, I still need to continue with the story line, so yeah, here you have the chapter! I hope you like it! Plus, I haven't been feeling well lately, so the precision of language and vocab has gone a bit down. I hope you don't mind, because I really wanted to write the story! ;)**

 **Disclaimer: Standard Brothers Conflict warnings apply – kisses, kisses, and lot of kisses! Just that the owner of the anime isn't me.**

* * *

Chapter 40: Basketball And Brother

Sabrina's POV

The following day, I felt way better than I did the previous day, after I tried to flirt with my own brother... in my own brain. _I know I'm so smart._

"Shut up, dude. You almost got me into tremendous trouble yesterday. Better keep shut today."

 _But I won't shut up lol!_

"And I question myself again – why am I stuck with weirdoes?" I sighed.

 _Dude, trust me, you won't find anyone better than me, like, ever, I tell you._

"Ah, really?" Just then, the doorbell rang. I opened the door to see Subaru standing awkwardly, and said, "Hey, uh, do you have a minute?"

"Sure!" I said, and he entered my room. It wasn't messy as usually; it had just _cleaned_ it. _Cheers!_

He said, "I don't know if you know this or not, but Japan has a pretty decent basket ball week next month."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, and the thing is that I'm being scouted by of the teams."

"Really? That's cool!" I encouraged.

"They've asked me for my consent, and if I say yes, then I get to play ball professionally." He stated as if it was something common, but being a professional player... man, that was a merit to behold!

"That's great! Did you say yes?" I exclaimed.

"Not yet." He hesitantly said.

"Why?"

"Because the team that's offering me to join is from Kyushu, and I would have to move there... and I wouldn't be able to see you!" He boldly said the last few words. I blinked, and he continued, "I would've gladly asked you to come with me, but I know you have your entrance exams."

Was he going to give up such an opportunity just to stay in touch with me? No way! I couldn't let him do that. It was a head start in his career in his dream profession, and compared to his aspirations, I couldn't let myself be a hindrance in his journey.

"I think you should accept the offer." I spoke up, and he looked at me.

I began with a smile this time. "I don't think you should quit basket ball, and I don't think you would wanna do that too. Playing it makes you happy, right? So go for it!" I cheered, and he smiled.

"Is that what you think?" He questioned.

"Yes, though I've nothing to do with your decision, but I guess you should grab the opportunity."

"Thanks for being honest with me. I'll surely think about it." And with another sweet smile, he left my room.

 _So, not awkward at all. Hmm, you're getting better at this._

"Yeah, I know. Who's the best here, anyway?" I boasted in fake pride.

 _Us, of course!_

O~O~O

I looked down at my watch. The hands ticked to indicate that it was 6:30 pm. Wasn't I wasting a lot of time? I could've been studying for the forthcoming exams, but there I was, walking on the streets, going to meet up at Natsume's, just like he had told. What could I possibly prepare next – I questioned in my mind, and commenced preparing a schedule for myself for the next few days.

I distractedly crossed the busy road, and while reaching the end of the road, a black car hit me. It was just a light push, but I was so startled that I fell back on the ground. The vehicle came to a halt, and the back doors of the car opened. From one of the sides came a man dressed in complete formals, wearing a black suit – giving me the thoughts of _Men In Black_ \- and came to the other side to open the door to another man, slightly taller than him, wearing a dark leather jacket and jeans. He had a strong built – like his shirt would just rip open due to his muscles any minute. None of them looked like they were Japanese citizens.

He walked over to me and looked at me, as if figuring out something from my face. He extended his hand down to me, snapping out of his gaze, and said, "Are you okay, miss?" His voice was heavy, but his tone seemed polite and chivalrous.

I smiled and replied, "Oh yes, I'm fine."

"Well, thank God." He said, drawing a small smile to his lips, and said, "Josh Richardson, and you may be...?"

"Oh, and I'm Sabrina." I replied. Well, it certainly felt weird to exchange names after an 'accident', or so one can call it. I just went with the flow as to not seem impolite. Seeking a glance behind him, it looked like that 'Man In Black' was a bit shocked. Who knows why?

I noted that his hand hadn't left mine, and I slowly retreated mine from his strong hold. And as awkward as it could be, he was just staring at my face. "Umm, thanks?" I said, trying to pry his attention off me.

"Oh, yes." He said, returning back to his car. I reached over to the end of the road and onto the footpath, and his window rolled down. I smiled at him and then averted my face, and continued walking, intentionally trying to ignore him.

 _Did he want money in return for helping you get up off the ground?_

"Lol, who knows? He looked rich enough, though..." I muttered. His car was shining black, and he had those 'Men In Black' to even open the door to his car for him to step out. If that wasn't rich, then maybe no one was rich enough.

I reached Natsume's apartment, and climbing up the stairs, I rung his doorbell. Within moments, his door opened, and he said, "Hey."

"Hello." I entered, and following the usual routine, I greeted Tsubaki and Azusa. "The revised version of the game is here. We checked and noticed that one couldn't get that gun to shoot to boss." He informed.

"Is it?"

"Yeah. And I want you to test it."

"I'll surely do that!" I said, setting my bag on his bed.

"Sorry, couldn't come to drop it at home itself. I just came back from work now." He said, and it wasn't hard to guess that he had barely seen the face of his own home before I came along. He still had his tie on, and his laptop bag and coat were on the bed too, so unlikely him.

"That's okay, but sorry for being this punctual, like, imposing on you." I said, setting the game on his TV. I plopped down a couple of cushions on the ground and grabbed the remote controller, as casually as if it was my room. That had become a habit. It had visited his home numerous times by then, and it felt like a second home, to be honest. I was comfortable in there.

He came and sat down next to me, removing his tie. "I wanted to talk to you about something else too." He said.

"Yeah, go on." I said while the game loaded. He paused for a moment, and then brushed it off, saying, "Never mind that. Let's start the game."

We set it on a multi-player system and challenged each other, and after a long hour of gaming and competing, the final level was finally over and working well, with the gun found by my player. I had won the game, and just as my player showed its last move and they announced that I had won, I threw my fists up in the air like a child and rejoiced, "Yay I won!"

He left the controller, smiling at me, while I grinned ear-to-ear, still celebrating about my victory. "You were pretty good there, huh?" He said, and I replied, "I know, baby, because I had been trying since days and I so wanted to defeat their boss!"

And I began rambling on about my 'struggle to defeat their boss' and he placed his palm under his cheek and listened to me, smiling. _Gotta love people who listen to your bullshit with such interest. Gosh, is he sane or what?!_

I paused to take in the breath that I had lost. During that time, he said, "We're hoping on adding more players to the game. What do you say?"

"I think that would be cool. I mean, we can play with the rest of the family and see who the best at this is!" I suggested.

"Good grief! You're planning on beating the crap out of the whole family?" He mused. I laughed and replied, "Oh, no! It's the action genre, and I'm sure Yuusuke won't let me down here. And yeah, Subaru too. He's trying his luck at pros now-"

"The pros?" Natsume interjected.

"Whoa whoa, you didn't know? Oh, um, yeah..." I sighed, reminding myself that these two were like the opposite poles – they never interacted, "He told me that he's negotiating with the other team from Kyushu. He's promoted into the pros now."

"Wow," Natsume said, somewhat hurt, "His hard work really paid off."

"It did." I smiled, placing my hand on his shoulder.

O~O~O

"Okay, so thanks a lot for the competition. I really enjoyed it." I said as his car ceased. We were before the Sunrise Residence, and I was suddenly reminded of something.

"Hey, didn't you want to ask something? Like, what you said back in there?" I reminded him, and he said, "Never mind. That can wait."

"I wonder what it is." I said, and got off the car, bidding him adieu. I walked on the side-path, actually wondering what he wanted to ask, when I heard footsteps running towards me, and then suddenly a hand wrapping around my arm and turning me back.

I landed in someone's chest, but just his scent was enough to tell me who it was. "Natsume..." I whispered. He released a heavy sigh, his muscles flexing, and his breath tickling me.

"I'm sorry," He said, as blush rose to my cheeks, "I couldn't help myself. You have no idea what you've done to me. I don't know if this is the right thing to do, but I refuse to ignore these feelings."

He broke the embrace, and placed his hands on my shoulders, and spoke, "Listen. I think I've fal-"

"What the heck?!" An angry voice spoke from behind me. Natsume stiffened. I turned to see Subaru, dressed in formals, dropping his belongings to the ground. His face was red from rage. "What the f**k do you think you are doing? Back off!" He thundered, gritting his teeth.

Natsume stood there stoically, still holding my shoulders. Seeing that infuriated him more, and he rushed forward to punch Natsume in his face, resulting in the orange-haired man to fall to the ground. "Natsume!" I cried.

"Stay the hell away from her!" Subaru snarled at him. Natsume rose up from the ground, lightly groaning, holding his face. He had a slight cut on the corner of his lip, out of which, blood was running down his chin. "Agh..." He chuckled, groaning a bit, "Seems like you're working out right."

 _And he chooses this time to be sarcastic._

"Stop it, you quitter! How dare you lay your hands on her!" Subaru raged in annoyance. Natsume didn't say anything, but stared at him.

"Subaru! He didn't do anything wrong!" I protested, and turned to Natsume, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." He said, wiping the blood off his face with his sleeve. He stood up, and looked at me, "Let me just continue now, then. I think I've fallen I love with you." He said the last part boldly, and I gasped, because the situation was so _not right_ to confess.

Subaru's eyes widened, and then, he narrowed his eyes at his brother. "How... dare you..." He spoke through gritted teeth. Perhaps the confession was unexpected to him. "There's no way I'm losing to a worthless quitter like you!" He barked.

Instead, Natsume showed a small smirk. He said, "You're right; I'm such a worthless quitter. But this time, I don't think I'm going to give up. Not on her." I inwardly face-palmed. _No, no, no..._

Subaru was so angry that his figure was shaking. I decided to intervene, "Okay, calm down. We're not talking about this anymore, okay? Subaru, please go inside." He didn't move an inch.

"Subaru, please!" I dragged him by his arm inside the building. Once inside, he punched a wall next to him, startling me. "How dare he?!" He yelled. I held his arms, stopping him from destroying the wall, "Calm down, calm down... " I said, hugging his side. He relaxed, wrapping an arm beside me. We stayed silent for a few minutes.

"You should go to your room, you know." I said, rubbing my hand on his arm I was holding onto, "I'll fetch your stuff."

Upon going outside, I only found Natsume's car, but there was no sign of the man himself. I picked up Subaru's bag, and brisk-walked along the colony. He had to be somewhere near. He couldn't just go off to someplace far in a matter of just a few minutes. I called out his name, and stopped by the isolated park, where I saw a figurine of a man sitting on a bench.

I walked inside. He didn't realize my presence till I offered him a handkerchief, standing right above him.

"Thanks." He accepted it, wiping his face. I sat beside him on the bench, quiet for a couple of minutes. He sighed and said, "It's about time I tell you about the 'quitter' complex."

"Hmm." I followed.

He spoke, looking at the ground, "It was track and field for me till high school. During that Subaru admired me a lot, and we were pretty close too. Then one day, I realized that I wasn't exactly very strong to be an athlete, and couldn't build a career out of it, so I gave it up. In order to not make Subaru feel bad, I acted like I had a casual attitude, but that just worsened things. He thinks that I'm a loser who left the game because it got boring, but that's wrong."

"That's... sad" I said.

"Seems like he has gotten good now; my not-so-little brother is qualified to be a pro now. Could I be happier?" He smiled.

"Yes, he has proven himself with his hard work." I commented.

He looked up at me, and said, "I still remember the look of dismay on his face when I told him that I was quitting sports. From that day on, he decided that I was a quitter. But no, I won't give up now. I won't give up on you."

"Uhm..." I didn't know what to say, so I ended up tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. He stood up, smirking, and said, "Let me know when you're ready to give an answer. Take your time."

With that, he was gone.

I went back to Sunrise Residence, and went to Subaru's room. "Hey" I called out. I heard shuffling footsteps coming to the door, and then he opened. "I wanted to return your belongings to you." I handed him his bag.

"Thanks." He accepted it. I looked around a bit before hesitantly saying, "And about Natsume-"

"I don't want to talk about that." He interjected, still a bit livid.

"No, it's' just that... he's happy that you're now in the pros. Of course I told him..." My voice trailed off at the end. He looked a bit shocked, so I continued, "You agreed, right?"

"Yes I did." He responded.

"He was so proud when he got to know that you are successful now. And the thing is, he cares." I said, and he looked dazed. His face showed that he had a hundred things going on in his mind. _Might wanna leave him with his thoughts right now._

"Yeah, that's it. Good night." I said and walked out of the door, and heard a distracted, "Good night." Maybe the situation would get better?

O~O~O

I tossed. I turned. I buried my head in a heap of pillows. I nearly stuffed myself to death, but I couldn't sleep. _What the hell? Weren't you just yawning a few minutes ago?_

"Damn, I don't know..." The worst kind of situation is when you are sleepy but you just can't sleep. You can't simply shut your eyes and lull yourself to slumber. Maybe because you can't turn off your mind? Maybe because you can't stop worrying about the future? Whatever the case may be, you suffer the most annoying stance when your body is begging you to sleep, but your eyes are in a mood to party the entire night. Because damn, honey, you just can't party all night long!

 _And meet Sabrina, who calls her eyes 'honey'..._

I decided to get myself coffee, because I was certain that I wasn't going to fall asleep anytime soon. Upon entering the fifth floor, I saw Louis sleeping on the couch. _The same old Louis._

"Hey, wake up!" I woke him up, and said, "You've gotta go to your room, because your back's gonna be sore if you sleep here."

He smiled, "Why are you up at one in the night?"

"To hunt for ghosts, maybe?"

"Paranormal activities occur from three to four..."

"Umm, I couldn't just get myself to sleep." I admitted. He grinned, and said, looking sleepily at the roof, "Some Japanese legends say that if you are not able to sleep at night, then you are awake in someone else's dreams."

"Really? Is that true?" I asked, astonished. He nodded.

"Wow... lucky me, huh?" I sarcastically said, getting up to make myself some coffee. God knows when he got up and boarded the elevator to go to his room, but I heard a 'ting' of the elevator. Grabbing my warm cup, I went to the balcony, and watching the city lights, my gaze fell on a figure standing in our garden, partially under the big cherry blossom tree. Thinking it was an intruder, I left my coffee on the table and rushed outside with a broom.

I took quiet steps, and upon reaching the ground, I saw that it was Subaru, looking intently at the tree, with a big bag on his shoulders.

I dropped the broom and said, "Subaru?"

He turned to me, "Sabrina?" It seemed that he wasn't expecting me to be there.

"Are you going somewhere?" I asked. He sighed and said, "Yes, I think I'll be away for a while."

"Why?"

"The situation now is... overwhelming. I think going to Kyushu before time would be a way to relieve stress."

I shook my head and said, "I don't think that would help."

"Why do you think so?"

"Because, see, you're leaving at a time when the air is a bit heavy, but even after going away for a while, you would possibly return to the same condition, wouldn't you? The situation would be as intense as it is now." I said. He looked thoughtful for a moment.

"What should I do, then?" He asked, out of opinions.

"The best you can do is to stay here, and try to untangle the mess." I suggested, "Just try. Things won't be as hard, I promise. We're a family, after all."

"Are you sure?" He said, stepping towards me.

"Yes." I replied. He took me in a hug, and I didn't break away, He needed some comfort in such a moment. Only God knew the storms inside him, and I could only wish that I could be some help to him.

* * *

 **Here it is. I hope you weren't bored, though. Just had to add such a thing. I thought the chapter would be short, but nah...**

 **I wanted to post it earlier, but my internet connection was being such an bitch.**

 **Also, the next update would come after a week, because it's festive season here! I won't be free until the next Sunday lol.**

 **Review! Add a question, fav, and follow! I'm waiting ;)**

 **Adios!  
Diamond Shyn **


	41. Chapter 41: Back To The Start

**Red Diamond**

 **A bigggg change in this chapter! We're going towards the... climax (?) of this story!**

 **Also, I'm very much in the mood for songs, so I just randomly thought that I think, for this whole story, the song** _ **Steal My Girl**_ **by One Direction would suit the best right? Your thoughts? Or any suggestions? (I've actually been having a 1D marathon lately, so don't blame me for random song lyrics in the author notes... OMG I MISS THEM SO MUCH!)**

 **Reply to** **Charu csk** **: Did you watch it?! I'm so glad you liked it! I made two trailers for this story, so yeah, I'm happy that you checked them out! xoxo**

 **Thank you for the reviews! I actually wanted to post the previous chapter three days before the published date, but my internet connection had totally given up on my computer, so they weren't getting along well. Don't even ask me how I managed to upload the document... IT TOOK ME DAMNED 50 MINUTES! And then I used my tab to officially put up the chapter, so yeah, it was hella difficult.**

 **So, let's get on to the story! (Also, note that Sabrina's condition in the first paragraph was my condition yesterday... why did I even say that lol?!) I hope you like it! ;)**

 **Disclaimer: The ownership goes to Rejet and the creators of Brothers Conflict, and not me. I only own my OCs.**

* * *

Chapter 41: Back To The Start

Sabrina's POV

 _Let the drums roll! Let the music sound! Here, I would like to present to the whole wide world, the master of procrastination, the queen of song marathons, Sabrina!_

"Not that much, though..." I mumbled, clicking on the seventeenth link on YouTube, that read 'One Way Or Another – One Direction'. I was so out of sleep from the previous night, and then I had my studies. It was a whole lot of stress, and that's when I decided to have a One Direction marathon. "~One way! Or another! I'm gonna meet ya!~" I sang at the top of my voice, crying alongside, because:

 _Oh God, why did they leave the band! Nooo God please! Reunite! Now!_

That's when I received a small notification balloon at the bottom of my screen, which said that my cousin Riya (the one who tried to flirt with Masaomi and Louis when they came to meet me in India) had sent me a video. I clicked on it, and the screen changed to the page of Skype. I pressed the button, which started the video.

She was sitting in her room I was quite familiar with, wearing glasses and comparably neater hairdo. She smiled enthusiastically and said, "Hey Sabrina! How're you?"

"I'm doing well!" I replied with a huge smile, even though I knew that it was just a recorded video, not a video call. It just made me miss my life in India.

Her voice blaring from the speakers said, "Time flies by, doesn't it?" I nodded my head, and she continued, "Weren't we just playing around in sand now? Playing pranks on neighbors? That was years ago, but it seems like just a few days have passed since those good, old days..." She paused and heaved a sigh with a motherly smile. It made me feel nostalgic. I very clearly remembered that protective but fun nature of hers. She could seem desperate at times, but was a mature personality.

"So, yeah, didn't you say that my luck was impossible with relationships? That I could never be in a long-term relationship? Well, poor you, because I'm getting married!" She exclaimed, and I fell out of my chair. "What?!" I exclaimed at her victory grin on the screen.

"And you know what? It's a love marriage. We fell in love shortly after you left. How?" She released a dreamy sigh, seeming lost in her world of clouds and unicorns, and said, "It was love-at-first-sight, baby."

"That's too cheesy." I crossed my arms. It looked like she had heard my comment – though she hadn't – because she straightened up and said, "My wedding is two weeks later, and I want you to come to me and spend my last bachelorette days with me. Wouldn't you come, my little sissy?" She made puppy eyes, and the next second, the door flew open, and I ran out, screaming, "Pack your bags! We're going to India!"

O~O~O

The plane landed, and I released the breath I had been holding since God-knows-when. My anticipation was overflowing; the wheels stopped rolling, and the aircraft came to a halt. Looking out of my window, I recognized the airport as the same one from which I left to go to Japan.

I descended down the stairs with almost the entire Asahina family – Hikaru promised to be there the next day and Fuuto wasn't certain of his schedule. Louis and Ukyo weren't volunteering to come there, leaving their work, but I guess a little bit of emotional drama works on everyone. And so, I persuaded the rest of them to come to India _two weeks_ before the marriage. Why? Maybe to give them a tour of my city. Anyway, I was excited to be back home. I needed a little break from 'I love you' and crap.

 _And here we come, New Delhi!_

We took three taxis to reach my society. I was so anxious on the way, because I was afraid that my troupe wouldn't _recognize_ me.

 _As if that's gonna happen._ I laughed at myself for my stupidity. The car stopped and I exited, plopping my bag up on my shoulder. The other two cars arrived too, and we entered the huge metal gates, leading us inside the society.

Taking each step carefully, but deliberately trying to quicken my gate, I walked past the familiar buildings, demanding a glimpse of my friends. And so that happened. Approaching me from the opposite direction was Priyanka, narrowing her orbs at me. She rubbed her eyes, and I laughed and shouted, "It's me, Priyanka!" She squealed, and both of us ran towards each other to envelope each other in a big bear hug.

"Oh my god it's really you!" She exclaimed in my ear, still holding on tight to me. Hearing the ruckus, the door to a balcony in the building beside us opened, and another member of my troupe came outside. He too, was surprised, and then called everyone else. Not even a minute later, all of my troupe members were around me, and the embrace got bigger and bigger, till all of us eight were hooting and whistling and rejoicing.

After a quick introduction of my brothers to my troupe – they obviously had to converse in English; no one was a pro like me lol – they let me visit my house again. Taking a few steps into my house's direction, I lifted my head and saw the balcony of the apartment. Not even a complete year had passed (two months still had to go), but I realized that I was somewhat a homesick person.

Climbing the stairs to the first floor, I unlocked the main door, and as it creaked open, time stopped. A new, fresh wave of nostalgia and fair happiness hit me like a brick. It seemed like I had never been away from that house in the first place. I could possibly forget that I had people accompanying me. Those familiar walls, those pictures, that odor from the interior – the place had a magical effect. Written on those walls were the stories that I couldn't explain, the moments that couldn't be replayed, and the memories that were meant to be treasured for eternity. I could breathe freely.

That was where I belonged. That was my home.

Dropping my bag on the floor, I took a sigh welcomed my brothers with, "And guys, that's my house."

"It's nice." Ukyo remarked.

"Indeed it is." Kaname said, walking around.

Wataru coughed. "But it's dusty." He complained. "Hmm" I followed, "Looks like this place has got to be cleaned soon."

"Are we gonna clean it?" Yuusuke implored.

"I guess I'm too tired to work. I'll just go take a nap." Tsubaki said, and Azusa interjected, "You are not."

"No, no. I guess I'll have to ask my uncle if we can stay at his place for a while. His house is really big, too. I'll order some people to clean this house, you know, those companies for house cleaners and all." I suggested.

"Better still, because my hands cannot sustain much." Tsubaki said, cracking his knuckles.

"Of course, being the fragile one." Natsume mumbled under his breath. I snickered.

We boarded the taxis again to reach my uncle's house. Upon reaching, his wife – my aunt – opened the house, and more than being anything else, she looked shocked. Shouldn't that be surprised? Maybe because there were a lot of people with me, because she had been socially awkward ever since. She was sweet by nature, so being rude to the guests was never in option. She looked at me in fright, and when I made a confused face, she snapped out of her gaze.

"Sabrina! You're back!" She nervously smiled, and I smiled back, slightly hugging her. My uncle came to the door, and he looked rather happy. He had a huge smile on his face while welcoming us all. I introduced them to each other, "So, guys, this is my uncle, Anwar Kapoor."

And after the formality greetings were exchanged, we decided on touring the city. The brothers were waiting for me outside the house, since I had forgotten to carry my purse, but on the way back, my aunt stopped me. "What happened?" I asked her.

She looked tense, and was slightly panicking, "Where are you here, in India?" She asked.

"Because it's Riya _didi_ 's wedding. She invited me."

"You need to go back as soon as you can." She hurriedly said.

"Why?" I asked. She was heavily breathing, and seemed as if she wanted to shoo me off as soon as possible.

"Because you're in danger! Your life is in danger!" She said, panicking. _Wait, what?_

"What? Okay, okay, calm down..." I tried to calm her down, but then, a voice interrupted us from behind, "What's happening here?" She flinched. Before I could say anything else, she said, "I'm really tired. I'm feeling dizzy. She, uh, was helping me."

"That's okay, I guess. You should rest now." He said, and without wasting another second, she scurried away to her room. There's a fact about my uncle – he is seemingly sweet, but his stare can freeze the hell over. She has always been conscious of her husband.

Even I went on my way, the question still swarming in my head – how was my life in danger? _Is this some typical Bollywood movie going on? Already so many people falling for you, then this mystery about that so-called danger you have now. Could it get any messier?_

"Duh, man." I said, and walked out of the house to join the others. There was no point pondering over the 'danger'. Anyway, what could possibly harm me?

* * *

 _ **~And we dance all night  
To the best song ever!  
We know every li-~ **_**Oh wait. (The credits, duh – Best Song Ever by 1D YAY!)**

 ***coughs* I warned you *coughs***

 **So, what do you think is the 'danger'? Wait another chapter for that, because another round of exams is coming up, so my mind is messed up with thoughts ayyyy!**

 **The next chappie will be up soon, though the following updates won't be that regular, since my internet connection's compatibility with my computer is just like marrying off Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, and otherwise too, Nazi Germany is lengthy to study, huh?**

 **So, till next time! Interview the characters, follow and fav if you like, and please, review! xoxo**

 **Yours Truly  
Diamond Shyn **


	42. Chapter 42: Boom!

**Red Diamond**

 **Ayyyy how're you people!?**

 **Sorry, it took a little longer since I had to study the characterization of organisms into different groups, specifically into species, then genus, then family, further then into order, then class, and phylum, and last but not the least, kingdom. You got the chapter I'm studying, right? Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia. Yes, that one. I had a test of that one. (It's pretty easy – don't beat me up now!)**

 **Irrelevant crap (I'll add this in future for shit like this): I'm deciding on becoming a YouTuber, but my parents just won't let that happen now, would they? Don't I make you laugh in the story? Be honest! I can be someone on YouTube, like, Superwoman? Whatever, we've got plenty of options there!**

 **Irrelevant crap #2: Did you listen to Harry Styles'** _ **Carolina**_ **? How would it feel noodle-dancing to it (for reference, consult Melanie Martinez's** _ **Pacify Her**_ **music video for the dance)? That's what I was doing.**

 **Lol I've been extra high lately so, this chapter's just gonna be crazy. Like C-R-A-Z-Y. Like Phoebe crazy.**

 **AAAANNNNNDDDD I GUESS WE ALREADY KNOW WHERE THE STORY I HEADING TOWARDS (do you?)! imma kill myself for that 'danger' hint now. Also, thank you for the lovely reviews! :)**

 _ **AnD tHaNk YoU gUyS fOr MoRe ThAn 7k ViEwS!**_

 **And a reply to the review of** **daenerys** **: THANK YOU SO SO SO MUCH! Of course, coming from a Bollywood fan, this has to be a classic! (jk) Also, the answer to the first question here! - Sabrina has to be the student that makes the teachers dread coming to the class, who is otherwise flunking periods, but astonishes everyone when gets the marks – because she's one of the toppers God-knows-how! (except in science) True story!** **tbh, that's me** **(except in math, in my case). And yay, I got another Indian friend!**

 **Just to tell you, this chapter will be short because yeah, I'm sick again.**

 **This is kinda a filler chapter with a bomb in the end. So, I hope you enjoy it! Just a shippy-shippy chappie!**

 **Disclaimer: For the sake of not getting my story off this site, I'm gonna add the freaking you-know-what here: I DO NOT OWN THIS ANIME BUT JUST MY OCs, GOT IT?!**

* * *

Chapter 42: Boom!

Sabrina's POV

After hearing a weird statement from my aunt, I exited their house, and we ordered taxis to tour the city. First off, we went to the India Gate, where we spent a couple of hours because Yuusuke and Wataru insisted to try out all the ice-creams. Let's just say that whenever they spoke for the next hour, it felt like a snow monster was releasing a snow ball your way. _Forget the Walking Dead. It's the Walking Freezers now._

Next, we went to visit the Indian monuments in Delhi, clicking pictures, and pulling pranks on others – the pranks were suggested by Tsubaki, without a doubt. For instance, we went to random people and started asking them questions in Japanese, so they stood there like a statue. Some made faces accordingly, but were nevertheless hilarious!

For lunch, we went to a Punjabi restaurant, and I introduced them to spicy, Indian food. We ordered all kinds of curries – my order, obviously, so I got them _Dal Makhni_ and three dishes of different types of _paneer_ (cottage cheese) – and they liked it very much. The staff also explained them the composition in the dishes, seeing that they were tourists, so we got extra attention.

The problem came when Kaname found a curry too spicy, unlike the others, so Tsubaki and Yuusuke nagged him for such a sensitive sense, and Wataru joined in about how he was "More like a man now". Eventually, Kaname ate in embarrassment, and after a few bites, he literally started fuming, gulping water after every bite, and decided to leave the rest of the food. So, we all started cheering for him, and the waiters joined in, and then the other people dining in. It seemed as if a football match was being played on the table and everyone was cheering.

After the lunch, we toured some more, and finally ended up at a mall to rest. There was a Spar store across the food court, so I, the triplets, Yuusuke, and Wataru went in there.

Just as everyone was beginning to explore the store, I grabbed Natsume's hand and sneaked out from behind the boys into the lanes. Just as he was beginning to argue, I shushed him and said, "Let's play a game with them!"

I texted the twins and Yuusuke that – 'Let's play hide and seek! I challenge you to find me and Natsume.'

Both of us giggled, and sneaked in further into the food alley. I took hold of a trolley and we strolled around slowly, as we knew that there were people searching for us.

"Hey, I'm tired." I droned, and sat inside the trolley. "Now carry me around!" I exclaimed.

He pushed and said, "You once said that you wanted to race with me?" He smirked.

I nodded and said, "Yes and- wait." I understood his intentions. "Now?"

"Yeah."

"Here?"

"Yeah."

"I'm up for it!" I said, placing myself in the trolley in a racer's position, and letting a leg fall out. He rolled up his sleeves and stretched his arms.

"Whoever reaches the stationery alley first is the winner." He said, pointing at the lane before us. The lanes had a huge gap of about fifteen metres, and the area in between was meant for people to move around, and there were alleys, so we were taking a risk of being caught.

"Okay... Position?" I said, and he concentrated on the alley.

"Read, set, go!" He ran at light's speed, and I pushed my trolley hard to match up to his speed. While on the cart, I only wished that I didn't end up bumping into the pyramid of toilet papers adjacent to us.

He won the round, and I pouted, "Not fair! I would've been better on foot!"

He bent over to me, with a smirk and a sneer plastered on his face, and crinkled his eyes and teased, "Aw, no! It was your choice!" I gasped in defeat, and he laughed, and I too, began laughing, seeing him giggle so heartily, but we silenced ourselves soon after when we heard Tsubaki and Azusa's voice nearby.

"Shh! They're near!" I whispered to him, and we tip-toed quietly to the next section – gaming.

We walked slowly, but ducked when we saw another brother of ours right in front of us – he would've seen us had it not been the collection of games' boxes. Wataru was there, and I heard him ponder, "Where should onee-chan be? Hmm, I need to be a man and search- is that the new model of the game I saw yesterday? Yipee!" He picked up a box, and while he was busy adoring it, we picked up pieces of toy soldiers and covered our heads with it, as we were half bent – covered with the toys, and slowly drifted away to the next section.

"Hush! We were almost caught!" I remarked, throwing away the toys to the kingdom of Simba, and we entered the section of electronics. There were television screens around us everywhere, and because no staff member was around, I picked up the remote and raised the volume to one of the trail songs – Gangnam style, of all.

I laughed, and proposed, "Wanna dance?"

"Now?"

"Yeah."

"Here?"

"Yeah."

"Count me in." He said, "It's okay to go crazy sometimes."

"Better to live as a retard, huh?" I said, and he said, "If it's you, then maybe it's the best."

"Oh!" I smirked, "Let's dance first." I tried to hide my blush by suggesting the dance. The chorus part of the song sounded, and I said, "Okay, follow me." I extended my fists in front of me, placing them on each other, and he did that too. I slightly jumped on one foot, and he did that a bit awkwardly, and I laughed.

"You need to practice!" I said, giggling.

"Perhaps I'm good at making video games!" He exclaimed, and we laughed.

"Haha! Found you!" We turned to Yuusuke's voice, as he pointed at both of us, grabbing the attention of passerby customers. He had a huge grin on his face. And at that moment, I thought of only one idea. "Run!" I screamed, holding Natsume's hand, and we took off to God-knows-where, dodging people and trolleys and crossing the lanes in two seconds, scurrying off from the sight of any brother around. I snickered as we ran, and said, "We look like madmen!"

"Mission impossible!" He said while running, and I laughed, and we ran further.

Finding no other way as to how far we had ran, we hid inside the compartment next to us – what was considered as the store room. It had a very little space, so we had to stand dangerously close to each other, with my head almost buried in his chest, for a couple of minutes, breathing heavily. We heard noises of the twins outside, and Wataru complaining, "Where did they go!?"

I giggled in a low whisper, and looked up to see that he was looking at me intently. My heart went like 'One, two, three... run at fifty-thousand kilometre per hour'! I didn't know why that was happening, but I felt like my heart would just burst out of my chest any moment. I tried to ignore any kind of eye-contact, but couldn't resist his deep, mysterious violet eyes, as his gaze penetrated into me. I could almost see all the care oozing out of his eyes; the adoration.

We stood like that for eternity, when I realized that okay, he was my brother. I pretended to realize the time that had passed, and looked at my watch on my wrist and said, "Oops, it's late! We've gotta go!"

I broke and went towards the door, placing a hand on my chest. My heart was still beating like a drum, and I whispered to myself, "Calm down, can you?"

 _Hehe, I sense something fishy._

"Oh gosh no!" I whispered as I walked out of the door in denial, and turned into the adjacent alley and Yuusuke jumped in front of me, startling me. "Hey, gotcha!" He said, panting.

I lifted my hands up to surrender, and said, "Well, I lose." _You really do._

From the corner of my eye, I saw Natsume approaching us. Maybe I did lose. _Lose your freaking heart, you idiot._

"Nooooooooooo..." And it continued inside me.

O~O~O

We reached my uncle's home at night, and he had enough arrangement for all the brothers to stay in. After the dinner, I met my aunt in her room, as she had instructed me when we were in the kitchen.

I knocked the door, and she sipped her water in hurry, and nodded, looking tense as ever.

"What's the matter?" I asked her, "Why did you call me suddenly?"

"Okay." She took a deep breath, trying to manage herself better this time. I waited.

"Yes, "She continued, "Just like the last time I told you, your life is in dang-"

"My life is in danger, and that's what you said the last time. And that I should return as soon as possible. But what is the threat to me?"

Out of the blues, she teared up. I was alarmed and I wiped her tears with my sleeve, as a few escaped from the corner of her eyes. "What happened?" I asked.

"How should I tell you this?" She grimaced.

"Tell me what?" I was intrigued. And by the looks of it, it didn't sound good.

"Your family's death..." She choked on her sobs, "It wasn't an accident. It was a planned murder."

Wait...

What?

* * *

 **HAHAHAHA CLIFFHANGER! LOL and what did you think, that I would tell you what happened now? Lol no! Wait for the next update, which will take forever, because the next chapter should be long. Not just long, but LONG.**

 **How did you find the chappie? Review, now! Send your questions, fav, follow, and wish me a little 'get well soon', because I need it!**

 **Till next time!  
Diamond Shyn**


	43. Chapter 43: Revenge Is Sweet

Chapter 43: Revenge Is Sweet 

Sabrina's POV

Time had frozen, and so had I. Right there in my tracks.

"What? How's this possible?!" I cried, reminiscing all the details from earlier: Arnav's homecoming, my parents going to bring him back, and the accident. It definitely was an accident.

"No, no my dear. It was planned." She sobbed, "The killer knew where you had to go. The time was estimated as to when the car would pass through that place."

"B-b-b-but I d-didn't tell anyone suspicious that Arnav was coming back that day! Heck, who did this?" I thundered, and she paused. She had a thoughtful look plastered on her face, meaning that she was perhaps deciding on whether to tell me or not.

"C'mon! Tell me!" I urged.

She broke into a round of tears again as she spilled out, "It's... it's your uncle!"

I stayed still. _No. That can't happen, obviously. Haha, no._

She wept on, "My husband is a murderer. He conspired it against you all."

No.

 _That's not possible. That can't be true... But he was aware of his homecoming, wasn't he?_

"What?" I spoke numbly, staring into the nightstand at nothing in particular, "That's... no... I'm sure he didn't..." I was at loss of words. Was the story even true? To my response, she explained, "He wanted your property. He still wants it, though, that you are still alive now. You parents' property is with you now, and he doesn't like that. According to the plan, you were supposed to be killed in the car crash too. But fortunately, you weren't there."

I nodded slowly, and remembered how I had cancelled my plan to go pick him up and instead stayed back home to decorate the place. Just if I had gone with them to collect my brother, I wouldn't have been alive to the day...

I shuddered, bringing myself back to the present, looking at my aunt. She wiped her face with her sleeve, and held my hands, "Please; please go away from here and never return to this place. Go back to your happy new world where you live now. Just... forget that you ever lived here!"

I retreated back my hand instantaneously. "What are you even saying!? Do you even hear yourself?" How could she ask me to forget seventeen long, blissful years of my life? How could she ask me to disregard my birthplace, my people?

I stood up, drawing my fists into balls, and spoke through gritted teeth, "Thanks, I better get going now."

"Where are you going? Back to Japan?"

"No. To give the criminal his due." I retorted. A new fire had ignited inside me. A fire that intended to destroy every single bit of the criminal, who was supposedly in the same bloodline as me. Each fiber in my body burned in rage for my uncle, who wore the jolly mask of comfort with us all, but behind that mask, he had his hands red. Red with my innocent family's blood.

"No! Don't let him know that I told you this! I wasn't even involved, I just happened to eavesdrop his conversation with the man he arranged to drive over your car. I swear, he doesn't know that I'm aware of the crime he has committed." She shrieked, her hands trembling.

Obviously, he would need some assistance. "Of course I wouldn't let you suffer. I'll free you from his binds." My eyes softened a little as I spoke this, looking at her, and then moved out of her room in a swift action.

Going through the house to the room allotted to me, where my brothers were seated at the moment, I remembered that on the day of their bodies being burnt as a ritual, he had informed me that the truck driver who hit their car had also died. That meant that it wasn't true either.

And then I remembered – he was the one who was assigned to disperse my family's ashes – in a casket – in the holy river. Had he completed that task at least?

I ran back to her room and asked, "Has he dispersed the caskets?" She stopped and paled, and hesitantly replied, "No..."

"Then where are they?"

"He... dumped them in the bin."

What?

I balled my fists in utmost anger till my knuckled grew white. I bit my lip to hold back the tears. That despicable man dumped the last remains of my parents in the bin. I felt like stabbing him and gouging his eyes out.

"How could he do this..." My cracked voice sounded creepy in the eerily quiet room; she didn't even dare to breathe out loud.

"Has he no heart for his own cousin!?" I yelled at the top of my voice, and her head snapped up. A stray tear escaped my eye, and I walked away in white fury to my room, holding back the tears. My own uncle – the one I had known since childhood – had betrayed me in the worst and the most atrocious way possible. He had overcome the limits of atrocity in my imagination.

I banged open the door of my room, not paying heed if anyone was there or not, and punched the wall next to me. I punched twice, I punched thrice...

I punched till the time my knuckled bled, and my brothers – who were apparently still in the room – had to draw me back.

"What's wrong?" Kaname asked me, kneeling down in front of me. I was staring stoically at the wall behind him.

"What happened? Wasn't she just about fine a few minutes ago?" Yuusuke asked.

The twins each took a seat next to me. From my right, Tsubaki said, holding my hand, "What's the matter?"

From my left, Azusa gently offered, "Tell us, please?"

From the far corner, Wataru grasped Masaomi's arm and concerned, asked, "What happened to onee-chan?"

I breathed out an audible sigh when I felt Natsume's hand on my shoulder, and said, "I want revenge."

O~O~O

I woke up groggily; feeling like a thousand trucks had hit my head. I shuffled in my sheets, and looked around me to realize that the Asahina brothers were all around me.

Iori smiled when he said, "Good morning, Sabrina. How're you feeling now?"

"I'm better. Thanks." I replied, running my hand through my hair. The previous night, after I had 'enlightened' them with the deeds of my uncle, they thought over for a while and then put me to sleep.

Ukyo rolled in with some pasta and cold coffee, and said, "I hope you like the western breakfast today."

"You made it? Thanks a lot." I said with a grateful tone, trying to push up my face muscles to draw my lips into a smile.

"Hikaru will be here any moment. I told him about the situation, and he's ready with a plan already." Subaru said, flipping his cell close.

"Get ready, we're out for some investigation." Tsubaki said in a detective-like manner, making me smile.

"Hey! She smiled!" Wataru pointed his finger at me. I arched my eyebrows, and then curved my lips into a bigger smile. "Thanks, guys. I don't wanna picture what I would be without you all." I said, looking all around me. They smiled.

After getting ready, we went to my house, which had been partially cleaned by the cleaning staff, and it was just enough to make us all sit and roam comfortably in a clean, hygienic room.

"I don't even wish to stay there anymore." I complained.

"But we ought to. After all, we've gotta collect some evidences, if there are any, by staying in his territory." Natsume replied, and we all nodded.

"Aw, well said, my brother. I knew you would someday think like me." An excited voice came from the door, and we all turned to see that it was Hikaru. He came in and sat with us, elaborating the plan to us all. We got to work soon.

O~O~O

The triplets and I had gone to Delhi Cantonment – the place where the crash had taken place. I shivered, seeing the place where the car had crashed. Blood had dropped to the road when we were taking out the bodies from the car. I went there and a few drops of blood were still evident.

Leaving the forbidden spot, we went into the security cabinet in the society next to the road, since there apparently was a security camera implanted somewhere near the road. I only hoped that it had captured the scene on that night.

We went inside and persuaded the guard to let us have a view into the tape of that night. We waited for a few minutes as they searched for it and pushed it back to the desired time. We looked on the screen as a black-and-white scene showed before us on the computer screen.

The car approached the place from a distance, and as soon as reached the spot, the truck crashed with it, tilting the car halfway. The truck pushed itself back, and so, the car regained its position on the ground. That was the reason why the car was still straight when I came that night. Natsume wrapped his arm around my shoulders and rubbed it, comforting me.

We zoomed into the door of the truck, when the driver discreetly exited through a thin window and ran away.

"That's it!" I shrieked.

"Can we get a copy of the tape, please?"

O~O~O

We carried the tape home and viewed it on my laptop, and one of our evidence was with us. However, we still couldn't prove that my uncle was the one behind this conspiracy.

Hikaru said, "Any idea on how we can get an access to his phone?"

"We need his number and account details. I'll do the rest of the work." Iori suggested, and we stood agape.

"What happened?" He asked, perplexed.

"Um, never knew you had a nose in such activities." Ukyo said, and he sighed. "I know how to hack into accounts, though I've never encountered the need to attempt it. Now is the time." He offered, and Yuusuke and I went back to my uncle's home to get his online account details. It was mid-afternoon, and because he was the owner of a builder's company, he didn't require staying in his office for long hours.

I asked my aunt where he was, and she replied that he was in the washroom. That was the chance.

Yuusuke and I broke into his room and went for his phone.

Unfortunately, there was a password.

"Damn! What the hell is this!?" The redhead cursed in a whisper. I struck my mind hard to get a correct pass code.

"Okay, five chances. That's it or the phone will put up a security guard lasting for five whole minutes." I cried, breathing hard.

 _Okay... okay... what can the password be?_

I typed his children's name. Wrong password, it showed.

I put up his company's name. Wrong again.

Something he was fond of? Wrong...

Random characters from his zodiac crap. Wrong again!

"It's the last chance!" He shrieked.

"I'm trying! I'm trying!" I said under heavy pressure. I was certain that he didn't have a good memory.

With another daring breath, I typed his Wi-Fi's password. The phone unlocked, and I felt like bouncing off the ground in happiness.

 _Really? Wi-Fi password?_

I copied his account details, and as we were about to exit, the doorknob turned. Both of us panicked, and he hid under his bed. I went behind the door, from where the door opened and shielded me from his view.

He yawned and lay on the bed, and both of us kept holding on our breath. Don't breath. Don't' move.

He made himself comfortable, and we waited for about ten good minutes, still in the same position, before we heard him snore. Yuusuke slowly rolled out from under the bed, and crawled his way out of the door. I sneaked from behind the door, and swiftly turned around and locked the door behind me.

"Phew! That was a close call!" He let out an exasperated sigh. I nodded and we went back to my house.

Iori was undoubtedly efficient – and for once, I could say that for something other than his mathematical skills. He logged into my uncle's account, did something else which I couldn't understand, God-knows-how he got his password, and then went back to the recorded call history of the night the incident occurred.

We scrolled through the numerous calls, and finally we heard that call from an unidentified number on his cell. It was that bastard who crashed the truck.

"Hello?" The guy's voice spoke.

"Yes, are you on your spot?" My uncle's voice sounded unusually deep.

"Yeah... I ask for fifty thousand bucks." The other guy demanded, and my uncle sighed.

"Whatever you ask for. I just need the people dead." He said, and I clenched my teeth. He was ready to give any amount the killer asked for only to get us killed? That was horrible.

"Done, they'll be coming in about... a minute." The guy's voice was cracking.

"Okay, and I'll send the money to your place. Escape right after you crash, and leave the truck there. Don't call me again." With that, he hung up, and I interpreted the call to my brothers, since they spoke in Hindi all the time.

"We'll track that number." Iori said, and searched on for it. Twenty minutes later, he slammed his hand on the table in a very un-princely manner, and sighed, "That SIM card is not under use!"

"Then what do we do?" Subaru asked.

"Track down the place where the money was sent." Masaomi said, and we all agreed.

We went to the post office nearest to the uncle's house, and fortunately, he had mailed the money from that station. We confirmed the address, and went to track down the killer, after registering the crime to the police.

O~O~O

 _ **Two weeks later**_

We walked out of the High Court, having proved my uncle's crime. The killer – a man in his late thirties – had confessed that he used to work as a builder in my uncle's company and the old owner persuaded him to commit the crime, by promising a rise in his salary. The call had proved as the main evidence, and the footage of the killer escaping the truck proved our point to the fullest. Another person to help us was my aunt. She had gathered some courage to report against the horrendous crime her husband had committed.

All this had taken two weeks because of the lack of free dates in the court as well as the lack of lawyers. We needed a prominent one to argue.

And finally, the killer had been sentenced a one-year prison penalty, and my uncle was sentenced two years in prison, as well as a heavy amount of compensation.

My aunt walked out, genuinely smiling, and held my hand and said, "Thanks a lot, my little girl. You've really grown up to be strong!" I hugged her back in return.

I could breathe freely. It was refreshing that even if I hadn't killed the criminal and got myself in prison, I had at least got him some revenge. Like the good girl you are.

As I stretched my arms, I was reminded – It's time for the wedding bells to ring.

 **(So I posted this with my phone, and it took me an hour to do so. Sorry for the delayed update, and I have shortened the chapter for readers' interest.**

 **So review, fav and follow, and ask questions! You don't know how much I have shortened the Author's note too!**

 **Love ya,**

 **Diamond Shyn**


	44. Chapter 44: The Mini-Me

**Red Diamond**

 **...You don't know about the shitload of author's note in the last chappie, but the internet just doesn't have to work...**

 **Ayy how're you people!? Back to another chapter, and this time, from right from Samsung Galaxy something something. I meant my phone.**

 **The internet doesn't make things easier for me. In fact, I've been trying SO HARD to post a freaking chapter but nah! It's like, "Who's the boss? The internet! And that's me lol. I ain't gonna give you any free connections! Go and have a play date with Albert Einstein in Narnia!"**

 **(That makes no sense gosh)**

 **THANK YOUUUUUU Jkttly for favoriting and following this story, and also lostfeather1** **for favoriting and following the story (and me lol). And there were others who favorited and followed my other** _ **Tangled**_ **one-shots, and I'm really, really thankful for all of them.**

 **Irrelevant crap: I've read a lot of books on Wattpad (and that's why the delayed chapter), and they're awesome; just thought of sharing the list with you-  
(1) Six Branches (Reverse-Harem) (And I read the sequel too)  
(2) That Bad Boy In Glasses (Rom-Com)  
(3) The Bad Boy Stole My Bra (Rom-Com again) (Don't judge me; in fact, it's pretty decent. I recommend it!)  
(4) The Babysitters (Rom-Com yet again)  
(5) The Bad Boy Kidnapped Me (Romance and... adventure?)  
(FYI, all the books, except the first one, are Fransisco Lachowski starrers, aka THE OFFICIAL BAD BOY OF WATTPAD. I'm a fan already! And I already have a story in my mind with him! Yay!  
Don't give me that look. He's handsome, and I know that I don't usually fangirl, but yeah...) **

**A BIG NEWS: This story has just about five to six chapters left. Just those many. *sobbing* my last story grew up so fast! *sobs more***

 **So, without further ado, let's get on to the chapter. This is gonna be different, so get ready for some random laughter? Whatever! I just hope you like it!**

 **(A friendly reminder that I left writing the chapter at this point. I was interested more in doing math – wasn't wrong with me?!)**

 **Disclaimer: I absolutely do not own the anime Brothers Conflict or its characters. All credit goes to the respected makers. I only own the OCs.**

* * *

Chapter 44: The Mini-me

Mini-me's POV

*Drums roll*

*Flags are raised*

Okay, ladies and gentlemen, kids and adults, wimps and morons! Here I, the one and only, greatest of the greatest, Sabrina's mini-me, would like to grace you all with the opportunity of witnessing my exclusive point of view.

Oh, please, keep the shutterbugs away! I'm not in the mood to give interviews, please! No cameras!

Though, I know that you all won't be able to stay away from your favorite person. Or maybe not a person. At least I'm better than Donald Trump, yeah?

Now, because this is my chapter, I want to keep everything top-notch. It has to be the best thing you've read all your life, okay? I know I'm the best, anyway, so the chapter has to be the best too. Better than what the crappy crap author writes!

 **Author: Shut up, mini-me! Oops, you guys continue with the chappie. *smiles nervously***

Hmm, so putting my wondrous greatness away, let's start! Where are the party poppers?

Fine, I'll shut up. Here you go...

The sun was shining bright on Sabrina's fair face. It was the same day when her uncle was served his share on a luxurious platter by karma. She was the happiest, because she knew that his punishment was the end of her problems.

She smiled when she reached her cousin's house. It had a long, steel-like chain of memories of the seven cousins. Entering the place, she took a long breath of familiarity, but that didn't last long as Riya jumped on her from behind, taking her into a bear hug.

"Awwiee Sabrina you're back!" She squealed, but her voice came out muffled since her head was buried in the crook of Sabrina's neck.

Okay, vampire, just let her take a breath.

"Yes I'm back!" Sabrina exclaimed back. The boys watched as the other cousins collected over one by one, and they took her into a hug too.

"Hey, you stay away. You'll give her cooties." Chirag, her eldest cousin sneered at Neha, her younger cousin.

"You better not say another word, hobo." She snorted back. He scowled at her when Anushka, the youngest girl of the group cried, "Stop it, you both! You seem scary, like a sea monster!"

"Anushka is right! Act like mature people, guys." Garima rolled her eyes as she scolded them.

"And you, act your age, little miss bossy boots!" Neha stuck out her tongue at Garima.

The boys watched in amusement, the brunette was excited as ever, while I cooed. Oh, this pretty little family. Just too _little_.

Sabrina turned to the Asahinas and said, "Time for intro, yeah? Okay, let me introduce my brothers first..." She began and I yawned. Can we skip the intro to Asahinas, please?

 **A. FeW. MiNuTeS. LaTeR.** (You read it in that dope voice, right? RIIIIIIIGGGGHHHHTTTTT!?)

"And well, "She said, "This is the eldest of our group, Chirag." She pointed at the black-haired guy with a lean body, of about twenty four years of age. He had his hair gelled up, and wore a black leather jacket.

"This is Riya di. She's the one getting married. Masaomi and Louis-san already met her." She pointed at the brunette.

"This is Neha, Riya di's younger sister. She's my partner-in-crime, for that matter." She pointed at another brunette, slightly taller than Riya. The sixteen year-old smirked in return.

"That little one? She's our boss. Her name's Garima, and she's Chirag's sibling." A little girl of about ten years looked up at the brothers, eyeing them judgmentally, folding her arms, and said, "I hope you took good care of my sister."Wataru nodded in return, gulping.

"Did you forget me, biggie?" Anushka murmured in utmost innocence, holding her teddy bear close to her chest.

"Aww, no! How can I forget the cutie?" Sabrina exclaimed, and she held her up in her arms and tickled her, so that she laughed uncontrollably.

"And guys, this is the most adorable one, Anushka." She introduced, and the little black-haired girl shied away.

"So now that the intro and all is done, we can roam around and explore the place. These guys will help you out." She pointed at the cousins, and they willingly took them to show them around. Just right then, she received a message.

'Hikaru texted me the address. Wouldn't my nee-san pick me up now?' – Fuuto.

 _Knew it._ I spoke.

She sighed in response and replied me, "It was obvious, wasn't it? Now, I'm gonna go. I hope this guy bonds well with the cousins."

 _As if._

"Just let me think positive for once, will you?"

 _Okay. Then, he's gonna get along with the cousins. Feeling better with the lie?_

"Thank you for boosting up my spirit, dude!" She sarcastically exclaimed, throwing her fist in the air, as she reached the entrance. A taxi reached the gate, and Fuuto climbed out of it, searching for something. I know what – fans.

Sabrina must've got it when she chuckled and said, "Sorry, dude, but no one listens to your songs here. No fans, then."

He raised his eyebrow, and sneered, "Then they must have a terrible taste in music."

"Of course they do. Now come in." She laughed and held some of his baggage.

This dude came here as if on a world tour for his album. Who brings such amount of clothes on a vacation?!

"But I hope this vacation gives you a break from the shutterbugs and the rush." She remarked, looking at him, and he nodded in understanding. That's when she heard Yuusuke's voice in the distance as he bumped into her.

"Dammit, man! Use your buttons for eyes!" Fuuto commented, holding Sabrina before she could lose her balance. Upon a glance, there was Garima behind Yuusuke, with her hands by her sides as she stared intently at the redhead.

Finally, after a long round of staring competition between the little girl and the redhead – since Yuusuke creepily stared back at her – she huffed in annoyance and turned to Sabrina to ask her, "Why is the red man running away from me?"

Lol, red man. ~Rudolf the red nose reindeer had a very shiny nose!~

"Why?" The brunette turned to Yuusuke.

The redhead exclaimed, "She doesn't stop asking me questions! Save me from her, please!"

"What? I only asked you if you were treating my sissy well. And also the details of all what happened when she was there. And yes, if she's happy or not. And how can I forget, yes, that she..." Her list went on and on.

She won't stop.

She.

Would.

Never.

Stop.

Unless asked to, though. Lol, my suspense got you, didn't it?

"Okay, okay, Garima!" Sabrina shushed her as the little one was reading out her list from a notepad, "Now isn't the time! He's tired, right? Let him rest for a few hours."

"Okay..." Garima was about to turn, when she noticed Fuuto standing beside her. She stopped and eyed him suspiciously, before saying, "Hey, I never saw you. Are you sissy's boyfriend?"

"What! No, no, absolutely not." Sabrina denied as the idol smirked, not saying anything in defense. Sabrina puffed her cheeks.

Pervert, I tell you.

And right then, Anushka came running to her and clung to her leg, sobbing, and saying, "Watermelon doesn't want to play with my Barbie! He has those bad boy cars!"

Wait, what was that again? Watermelon! Pfft, haha!

"That's Wataru, I guess..." She whispered to herself, controlling her laughter.

 _Looks like this is gonna be a long week._

Ayy, did you like my chapter? Obviously you did, I can tell from the smile on your face. And looking at you, I can only think of two things:-

(1) OMG I'm so funny!  
(2) Do I look this stupid too when I laugh?

Okay, Sorry.

You should be grateful that I'm apologizing to you anyway, because I never do. Why?

BECAUSE I'M THE BEST YEAHHHHHHHHHH! BRING ON THE DRUMS, BEAT THEM ON YOUR HEAD, AND SING THE LION KING ANTHEM! YAY!

 **Author: *stuffs mini-me's head down to the ground* wait, there shouldn't be a head of this mini-me thingy... what the heck am I even doing? Oh my god... *sits down and begins contemplating life and the universe***

I'M VICTORIOUS!

* * *

 **Okay, guys, how was this chapter? Yes, this is me, the author talking, live and in stereo. Wait, that's sounding like Hannah Baker from 13 Reasons Why.**

 **OH MY GOD THAT'S SO EMOTIONAL I'M CRYING!**

 **Sorry, but I hope you liked the chapter.**

 **I guess I'm done with giving you glimpses of the sequel, and I'm gonna leave you in suspense till the next story commences. Otherwise, I'm just opening the plot for the next installment, and it doesn't help.**

 **Another announcement: My exams are over! Like, yeah, that was the reason for this ultra-late post. But I'll try to post the next chapters as fast as possible.  
Did you realize this is the third round of assessments I'm announcing ever since we began on this story? **

**So review, fav and follow, and ask questions! Keep waiting for the next update!**

 **Yours Truly** (Mini-me: Stop giving Ayato references, you fool!) **  
Diamond Shyn**


	45. Chapter 45: Toxic

**Red Diamond**

 **#ImportantNote #ReadItPlease #IDontKnowHowToUseHashtags #ILoveHashtags #WillYouMarryMeHashtag !**

 **BEFORE YOU LOAD YOUR RIFLES, LEMME EXPLAIN WHY I VANISHED FOR THREE MONTHS STRAIGHT.**

 **I HAD MY FINALS. You get the point.**

 **Apparently, all my gadgets had also been confiscated, so I wasn't able to reply to all those who tried to reach out to me and ask if I had died or left the story or what.**

 **Y U DO DIS I CRIE EVRYTIEM! (sorry) (Read** _ **The Parody**_ **on Wattpad** **to get this)**

 **LOL I'M ALIVE, OKAY? AND I'M NEVER EVER GONNA LEAVE THIS STORY, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE SO NEAR TO THE END OF THE FIRST BOOK. YUP, THERE'S ANOTHER ONE ON THE WAY, AS YOU KNOW.**

 **...But I'd still like to ask you: Should I really write the next book? There are gonna be like, 25 chapters in the next one. Your opinion?**

 **Another thing: In one of my previous chapters, I had apparently fat-shamed someone (or at least one of the readers felt like I had done that). I would just like to say that I would never, intentionally or not, fat-shame anyone. Perhaps the way it was described or the circumstances in which it was described proved to be a misunderstanding, but really, if any of you thought I did, then I would like to apologize with all my heart. All of you are beautiful, in any form. There's absolutely no criticism or judgment in the way I see you all. Love you all xx.**

 **WTH YOU GUYS ARE INSANE, I MEAN THANKS A LOT L71, Mizuna Kurenagi, .1996, and TheFictionalBeing** **for favoriting and following this story! There are so many other people who followed or favorited my other one-shots and me as well, so a huge thanks to them too (though they don't read this story... I just hope my thanks reaches them lol)**

 **Reply to the review of All-u-need-are-books: (I strongly agree with your username) Phew, thank god I didn't disappoint! Like, it would've been totally weird if I disappointed another Indian in terms of expressing an Indian girl! Thanks a lot for reading and reviewing! xx**

 **So, I had to re-watch the entire anime, because I'm writing two more stories, thinking of another three, and reading a book as well. So yeah, you sometimes can't get the right feel, and even the romantic scenes I wrote felt so off for me. But I'm back now!**

 **And now, on with the chapter! I hope you understand the way I have tried to describe the Indian traditional dresses in English *smiles nervously and runs off into distance* HOPE YOU LIKE THE CHAPTER. You can play Melanie Martinez's** _ **Soap**_ **for this chapter (love that song!).**

 **Disclaimer: I certainly do not own Brothers Conflict. All credit goes to the rightful owners. I only own my OCs and the plot for this Fanfiction. No part of this Fanfiction intends to hurt anyone's sentiments, and I sincerely apologize if it by mistake does.**

Chapter 45: Toxic

Sabrina's POV

The next morning, I woke up to the smell of delicious Indian breakfast, practically deep fried in tons of oil and carrying load of fats, but who cares? So, I followed my usual schedule and got ready to come to the exceptionally huge dining table, formed by joining four-to-five tables end-to-end. Plates and trays of food were spread across the table, laid on the pearl white table cloth.

The appetizing aroma of the homemade food entered my nose, and I tried hard not to drool in front of everyone. Well, that's me, #foodie.

One by one, all of my cousins and the guys came, some yawning, some wearing bored expressions, the little ones over-excited, and the rest either wondering if people who wake up early in the morning are human or not, or just inhaling the fresh air.

Me? I was capturing these random moments in my camera. _Probably gonna get it all printed._

"And pasted up the walls of my room." I finished for my mini-me. Yeah, I was getting along with my mini-me.

 _WAKING UP, BESIDE YOU I'M A LOADED GUN! I CAN'T CONTAIN THIS ANYMORE, I'M ALL YOURS I GOT NO CONTROL, NO CONTRO-O-O-OL!_

Scratch that – we were never meant to be together.

 _But you love me!_

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. No.

The plates were arranged for everyone, and we all sat around it. Subaru had to eat toasts instead of the fried food because of his training and diet schedule and stuff. Poor guy lost on some delicacies, I swear to god.

I cast a look at my brothers' faces – most were either eating, either gasping, probably because of the heavy amount of chili, Tsubaki was telling Azusa to try some dish, Azusa was gaping at the amount of food piled in Tsubaki's plate, Yuusuke glaring at Fuuto and Fuuto was smirking at him, god knows why. But then I caught Iori staring at me, I wonder why.

 _Maybe because he's planning to gauge you eyes out right after this meal._

Mental note to self: DO NOT EVER SAY 'I WONDER WHY', BECAUSE THIS VOICE CAN NEVER LET YOU DO SO.

*Cries* Goodbye, my appetite, for I can definitely not eat while thinking of my eyes gauging out! *sniffs into a tissue paper*

 _Ok._

The second he caught my eye, he averted his gaze to his food, but kept picking at it with his spoon. He sighed, and then excused himself. I did not go after him, because that would seem suspicious, but I had to talk to him later in the day.

I instinctively looked at Kaname and even he seemed wary about his sudden departure.

O~O~O

While everyone was busy preparing for the wedding scheduled for the evening, I was out in my balcony, having done my share of duties already. I was worn out.

Standing close to the edge, I took a deep breath and quickly released it, as I held on tight to the railing. The exams are coming up, and I have about thirty percent preparation of the entire syllabus. And there wasn't that much of a gap left between these holidays and the exams.

 _Way to commit suicide._

"Gee, thanks." I sarcastically whispered to myself. I had brought a few books with me, but with the festive spirit springing in the air of the house, studying was practically impossible. Plus, there was this sudden weird behavior by Iori. Then the answers to – you know what. Like, dump all of the world's problems on my head. Come, Trump, please make America's president too so that I can officially shout out, "I'm doomed!"

 _Stop overreacting, Shawty._

"What're you worried about, huh?" I heard Kaname's voice, and turned to face him with a smile.

He came forward to stand beside me, and said, "I see something's bothering you."

"Nothing like that..." I sighed, not meeting his eyes.

"Is it about what happened earlier today, at the breakfast table?" He unexpectedly asked. I didn't expect him to raise the topic himself.

"Kinda... did you notice him too?" I raised my brows.

"Yes, he seemed unusually off. He would never exhibit such manners in front of everyone." He remarked.

"True, but, do you have, like, any idea about this?" I asked.

"Why do you think so?"

"You're the closest to him." I reasoned. He looked into the distance for a good seven minutes, before he turned to me and spoke, "I think that's what it is." Maybe he wasn't speaking to me, because he wasn't exactly looking at me; his eyes seemed elsewhere.

"What is it?" I was curious.

"It's...that what has captured the others." Whoa, deep talk. I had no idea what he was referring to, and there were a hundred possibilities in my mind.

"What?" I inquired.

"You'll see soon. I just hope he doesn't go too far with it." He said, "Looks like I've got somewhere to be. See you, imouto-chan."

"See ya." I indecisively said. After a few minutes of pondering over the maze of words Kaname had structured, I gave up and went to head to my room.

I walked up a floor to my room, away from the clutter of voices coming from the ground floor. Just as I was nearing my room, I saw Iori sitting in front of my door, a frown stretched on his face. I immediately scurried up to him and kneeled down beside him.

"What's wrong, Iori-san?"

He looked at me, his eye-lids covering about half of his hazel eyes. He had a look of... confusion in his eyes, as he looked at me. He blinked thrice, and in a croaked voice, said, "I've been missing you."

"But we live together. Why would you miss me? I'm with you." I said, changing my position to a more comfortable one.

"You're with me... You said that before too..." He pondered in a low voice. He then sighed, and leaned his head against the door behind him, "You know, I've been getting opportunities to study in different universities. There's this one in France I've always admired. They've sent me a mail, accepting me."

"What? That's great news, congrats!" I exclaimed, and hugged his side, yet he didn't seem like he was entirely glad about the acceptance.

"It means that I'd have to leave the house soon. I'd have to leave you here..." He spoke, "But I won't. I'll take you with me, and we'll stay together."

Wait, what?

"Huh? But I h-have my, um, studies that I've gotta complete in Japan. That's not possible." I reasoned.

"But you're going with me, because I won't let you go... like the way I did with Fuyuka." There was sadness in his eyes, but a sense of determination was taking over it.

"But Iori-"

"I love you, that's why."

Okay, I'm done.

WHY GOD, WHY?

How do I turn him down? I certainly did not feel the same way towards him. I looked at him and it seemed like he was growing impatient, as his hands were lightly shaking.

I filled in a deep breath; he looked so fragile, like my rejection would break him up. But I had to be the mean one – I had to say a no. I couldn't keep him in a mere oblivion; otherwise he might end up doing something drastic.

"Say, do you love me back?" He urged, running a shaking hand through his hair.

"I... Iori..." My heart was breaking by each passing second, yet I said it, "I don't fell the same way about you."

Shit.

His shoulders slumped, and a few moments later, he muttered, "...But you said... that you'll always be with me.."

"Iori-"

"You promised..."

"Please, Iori-san. I didn't mean-"

"You're a liar, just like her!" He shouted, and abruptly stood up. I flinched, as he tightly grabbed my wrist and made me stand up as well.

"What are you-"

"You're going with me!" He sternly whisper-yelled, and began pulling me with him. Thankfully, there was no one around to witness this drama, and no one could hear all this as well, thanks to the noise on the lower floor.

"Stop! You're hurting me!" I protested, but he dragged me forward anyway. He looked back to meet my eyes, and there was a fire inside them. A fire of rage, I believe, as he looked at me mercilessly, as if he had to punish me.

I couldn't read him properly, though. I believed he would never attempt such misconduct. Something must've gotten into him.

"Iori, stop." A voice spoke from behind us. We turned to see Kaname, shutting his door behind him, "Release her, this instant."

"What do you even know?" Iori spat.

"I know that you're hurting her bad, and I also know that you've fallen in love with her." The blonde one replied. Silence surrounded us for a few moments.

"I heard your conversation." He continued.

"You're disgusting." Iori retorted, and continued pulling me, and I tried hard to resist. With much effort, I freed my hand from his iron-like grip. The second my wrist left his hold, he turned around in shock, and maintained that expression for a long time. However, his eyes seemed to widen initially, and then soften; they went from shocked, to realization, to guilty.

"I-I-I'm... s-sorry... " He whispered, hardly audible. I stood like a statue, as if paused in my shape.

He squinted his eyes shut, and covered his ears with his hands, and gritted his teeth. It looked like he was being tormented inside, and it was hard to see him in such a state.

"What's happening to you, Iori?" Kaname asked, stepping towards him. But Iori stepped back, and shouted, "Stay away!"

He looked at me, his eyes watering, and then he walked away to the room allotted to him.

"What's happening to him?" I worriedly asked Kaname. He shook his head in bewilderment, and whispered, "I hope he'll be okay."

O~O~O

"Oh my god! You look like a girly girl!" Riya exclaimed, as the girls from a parlor walked out of the room, having done their share of work.

"Oh my god, I look like a girly girl." Neha said, horrified.

"But you look hot, girl." I said, combing my hopeless excuse of hair. Neha frowned, clutching her baby pink colored silk skirt, flowing all the way down to her ankles. It wasn't too gaudy – it was made with her choice, so of course it couldn't be all sparkly and shimmery. A long, pink, netted piece of cloth dangled from her shoulder till her knees. Her hair cascaded down her shoulders, unlike the usual messy bun she sported.

Riya had a gaudier outfit, the base dress being the same – a short blouse, a long skirt, and a netted drapery. She had it red, filled with a hell lot of golden embroideries. Mine was something in a dark green shade. The embroideries were a lot less intricate than Riya, of course.

Riya had her hair styled into some complicated bun, elegant but attractive. I wore my hair in a bun too, I don't know what kind. We had this heavy jewelry we had to wear, so I opted for the lightest ones out of the bunch. Neha, being the tomboy she was, suggested to were a couple of her chunky bracelets and charms, but Riya strictly denied it and made her wear the heavier items. Well played.

"I swear, only you guys are saying I look good. All of the others are probably gonna laugh at me." Neha muttered, pouting at the mirror.

"Ah, no! Definitely not! This is the best look you've sported in six years!" Riya exclaimed.

"I'm sure guys will end up falling at your feet tonight!" I added, winking.

She made a laughable face and said, "As if. The only one probably falling would be that dumb fellow who lives next door. He's such a hole. Get it." She pushed, and yeah, got it.

"Aha, then who do you want falling for you, huh?" Riya teased, and we both high-fived, chuckling.

She stomped like a five-year old, and said, "Why do you have to find a way to turn every conversation this way?"

"Oh c'mon! You've gotta have a crush by now!" Riya said.

"And we've gotta know who that lucky guy is!" I added.

"Aha, and that would probably be Spongebob." She said, blowing a lock of hair off her forehead.

 _I seriously hope she isn't infatuated with that cartoon._

Shut up.

"They say that there's a trick to know your crush for yourself." Riya said, rubbing her hands, "But you've gotta be honest."

"You're _seriously_ making me do this?" Neha said, dragging the 'seriously'.

"Yep." Riya said, "Clear your mind out of all the rubbish." Neha reluctantly sat down but followed her instructions.

"Think of the word 'love', and things related to that..." Riya calmly said, making me doubt the fact is she was just a normal girl and not a hypnotist. The other one's expression changed from bored to shocked really quick, an she snapped her eyes open, blushing red.

"Oh, no no no no no." Neha said, rubbing her cheeks.

"Don't mess up the make-up. Who did you see?"

"You really wanna know?"

"Yeah..."

"I'm interested." I said, and Neha bushed for a couple more moments before saying, "There's... this guy from my class and... he's got these cute dimples and... ugh!" She growled and walked out of the room.

"She goes from zero to hundred real quick." I remarked.

"True, but let's do this with you now!"

"What? Why me?"

"Because I want to! Won't you do this much for your lovely sister?" She made a puppy face. Hard to ignore.

"Okay, I give up." I sighed, and closed my eyes. I followed whatever she was saying, and I have to admit, she was good at it.

But then something shunned my mind.

I saw _him_.

I snapped my eyes open, trying not to seem so obvious to not provoke her suspicion. I tried to act normal, but internally, I was freaking out.

How the hell did _his_ face come into my mind? Why?

 _You're just a hot mess._

Hehe, thanks, but right now, NO.

"Who is it?!" She excitedly asked.

"N-no one." I averted my eyes. _Come on, you need to act like a professional._

"Shut up, you definitely have seen someone. Tell me!" She pushed.

"It was, erm, Louis Tomlinson." I excused.

" _Fittey mooh_ (curse you).I know he's cute af. But you're absolutely hopeless." She said, and pouted, and looked at her reflection in her mirror to check herself.

The elder ladies (with Neha and two other bridesmaids) came to call us downstairs to the main venue, and clicked a hundred pictures of us before doing anything else. I carried my camera with me.

Stepping down the stairs, everyone turned to look at the bride and the bridesmaids – who covered the head of the bride with a red, netted cloth – and were awe-struck. She looked splendid. Maybe we looked good too, haha.

While walking down the stairs, she whispered to me, "Looks like the parlor girls did a good job."

"Wonderful, I tell you." We both giggled. She headed to meet her in-laws and relatives with her mother, while I went to check on my brothers.

And I won't exaggerate it and all, but they too showered some wonderful compliments. But this one:

"I don't know what on earth you're wearing, but you look pretty hot." Fuuto whispered ion my ear, much to the annoyance of Yuusuke and Tsubaki. Azusa just sighed at his hopeless twin, and Natsume averted his eyes.

"Gee, thanks, Fuuto." I said

I looked around, and Iori was nowhere to be seen. Garnering their compliments, I excused myself and went to search for him.

I actually hoped that he didn't come down, because he didn't seem emotionally stable at all, considering his act conducted earlier in the day. But during my search, I found a bag sitting in the corner of the room. I thought I had seen it somewhere before, so I opened it.

It was filled with clothes of a man, and with glance at them, I knew whom they belonged to.

Iori.

I left the bag there, and amidst the loud music blaring from the huge speakers set in every corner of the hall, I pointlessly called out for his name. He had to be down here.

Getting nowhere at all with my attempts, I headed back to where I saw his backpack. But when I reached the spot, it was nowhere to be seen.

Where had it vanished to?

Now panicking, I called out his name, but no soul could hear me in the loud noise. Thankfully, I found Kaname standing close by. I ran up to him, and spoke loudly, "Iori is nowhere to be found!"

"Have you looked around carefully?" He asked, and I nodded, and told him that I had seen his backpack, and then it had disappeared.

"Let's look in the rooms." He suggested, and we both went searching in all the rooms the building had, but to no avail.

We met in the main hall, both with negative responses, and then tried to search outside.

And there he was, wearing his backpack, walking straight ahead, already at the end of the road.

"Iori!" I yelled, and he looked back, stumped. We ran up to him, and Kaname angrily asked, "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm going."

"Why? What happened? We can sort it out." Kaname suggested, but Iori shook his head vigorously.

"I can't live like this anymore, not with my mind haunting me endlessly..." He looked at me for a split second, and then hung his head in shame, "I've decided to take this step after a lot of thought. Don't stop me now."

"Are you sure you're doing the right thing? Where are you going?" Kaname asked him.

"I can't tell that." He showed a small smile, "Just remember me." He looked at me, with totally guilty eyes.

"I... wish you luck. I hope you achieve whatever you want in your life." Kaname said, hugging Iori. He cried on the blonde's shoulder, and in his croaked voice, he said, "I'm sorry..."

The pulled away and he cast a last glance my way, the guilt still shining in his eyes. I already had tears in my eyes. I couldn't accept the fact that someone so important in our family was going away on a sad note.

He took a few steps, and I ran up to him and hugged his back, sobbing freely on his back. He too, let his tears fall, as he choked on a sob and spoke, "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay... we're good..." I whispered, and clung onto him.

A few minutes later, I wiped my tears, because I didn't want to bid him adieu with tears. Who knew how long it would be before we met?

He turned, and I managed to stretch my lips into a small smile.

"Goodbye." I said, though I didn't want him to go. Not now, nor ever.

"Goodbye, don't forget me." He said, looking into my eyes, both of our visions blurred with the tears threatening to fall again.

"I never would." I said, as he turned back again and walked off into the dark street, lit with only a few streetlights. And he went so far, away from us.

Until he was seen no more.

 **AHHHH THAT'S THE END OF IORI'S ROUTE! I'M SO SAD, LIKE, LOOK AT THE ENDING OF THE CHAPPIE, C'MON! (I know I cry at every little thing)**

 **So, did you like it? Tell me how it was! I really like to hear your views! :)**

 **Review, add this story to your favs, and ask any question to your characters! The next chapter will be up shortly!**

 **Forever,  
Diamond Shyn **


	46. Chapter 46: The One I Love

**Red Diamond**

 **Ayy how you guys doin'?**

 **Well, I'm back again! (No shit Sherlock)**

 **I was just reading this thing about Fanfiction writers and their flaws and qualities, so there was this flaw that said "They use the word 'orbs' instead of 'eyes', like wtf; might as well use 'globes'." SOOOO, I don't think I've ever used it, but if I ever have, SAHRRY, and tell me please! :)  
Another one, it said "Writers don't need to give mile-long author's notes. Readers really don't need to know which company's cup noodles they had the previous day." SO, UM, HEHE, GUILTY *smiles nervously***

 **BTW, DID YOU GUYS EVEN READ THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER? I think mANY of you skipped it (because of the number of reviews, which I might add, is 1). But before reading this, read the previous one.**

 **No, seriously, read it.**

 **AND HERE'S THE CHAPTER YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR SINCE AGES! *winks***

 **Without further ado, I would like to thank asdfghjkl-t** **for favoriting this story! (No offense, but how do you remember your username. I can't even remember my own phone number lol) And LadyOtakukami and** **AlexisHard** **for favoriting as well as following this story! You guys are awesome!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any character or the anime, except for my OCs and the plot of this Fanfiction. Standard Brother Conflict warnings apply. None of the content intends to hurt anyone's sentiments. Also, this disclaimer is boring.**

Chapter 46: The One I Love

Sabrina's POV

A day later, we all returned to Japan. Everyone carried on with their lives like usual – Fuuto went on a world tour, Subaru for his training camp, and Yuusuke and I had to study for hours longer than usual, because of the exams.

Wondering why no one is concerned about Iori's sudden departure? Apparently, he left a little note in his bedroom back in India, stating that he was going for further studies in another country, and that contacting him would be "difficult", so no point in doing so. Masaomi and Ukyo tried to reach out to him, but he never picked up his phone. Everyone thinks he's sensible enough to make decisions for himself and stay safe, but I can tell that they're all concerned about his well-being, since he left out of the blues.

 _If they only knew._

There are just a couple of days left for the exams to commence, and I've been hiding away in my room with my nose in the books. Every now and then, Yuusuke keeps coming in, asking me about my own doubts or if I need food or water or anything, and when he's certain about my comfort, only then he begins to ask his doubts.

From what I've learnt, he's especially interested in Psychology. I do understand some parts of it, but after a point, it's just Science, which goes right through my skull. Yuusuke says that he's gonna get some degree in Psychology and work as a Psychiatrist, if all goes well for him. Otherwise, he'll just end up becoming a police officer of some sort.

I don't have any idea how these atoms and Newton and trigonometry will help me in becoming a choreographer. I'm just going with the flow...

Talking about dance, ughh, it has really been a while since I've danced in a coordinated and choreographed form (minus the 'I'm-drunk-and-free-and-I-don't-care' steps at my cousin's wedding). The most movement I'm doing these days is just moving around to get dressed, and using my fingers to write things on papers. Yeah, new kind of finger tutting, that is.

It seems like my mini-me is hibernating, because it has been a while since I've heard its little, shrilly voice.

 _My voice is basically your voice, just a bit shrilly. Dontcha know, I'm the best singer!_

And it's back.

 _And savage af, like always_.

I checked my inbox, and it was filled with encouraging messages from my teachers and brothers, my peers asking for notes, and Mahoko texting: DUDEEEE WHY TF DO WE HAVE EXAMS?! MY LIFE SUCKS.

I texted back: IKR?!

Mahoko: AND MY COUSINS ARE HERE AND THEY'RE ARE HAVING SO MUCH FUN

Mahoko: I'M SO JEALOUS OF THEM RN

Mahoko: NOW THEY ARE ASKING ME IF I CAN HAVE A TEA-PARTY WITH THEM

Mahoko: WTF I AGREED I'M DEFINTELY GONNA FAIL

Mahoko: OMG I STEPPED ON ONE OF THE LEGO PIECES IDK HOW KMS KMS KMS

Mahoko: MY FOOR IS DYING OMG HELP MEEEEEE

Me: glad u r hving a gr8 tym

I kept my phone down and sat at the uncomfortable but familiar chair, drawing it towards the white study table I owned, intending to study some historic revolutions for the next couple of hours, before someone knocked my door.

I took a quick glance at the partially covered window. It was about the time of dusk – well, maybe a little later than that, because the sun had almost dipped. I walked over to my door to find Masaomi, smiling widely.

"Hey..." I croaked, having not used my voice since hours. I cleared my voice and fixed my hair, "Sorry."

"It's okay. It looks like you've been studying really hard."

"Kind of... wanna do my best..."

"Seems right, but taking this much stress isn't good for your health. How about a little break?" He proposed.

"A little – like how little?" I giggled. He chuckled and said, "About an hour or so. Me and the guys have prepared dinner. Like to try it?"

"You guys?" I exclaimed in my still-hoarse voice. _You sound like a dying crow. You really, like really, need water now._

He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand, "Yeah, just a little attempt."

"I definitely wanna try it, then!"

O~O~O

"Whoa! You guys made this?!" I exclaimed, descending the stairs to head to the dining table. Ukyo and Yuusuke were bringing in all the dishes from the kitchen, while Wataru was placing the plates on their respective places. Tsubaki was leaning on a chair and talking to someone on his phone, and Azusa too, was busy texting someone. They all looked up at me when I walked in with Masaomi.

"Finally Onee-chan!" Wataru said and ran up to me, and hugged me, his height reaching up to my waist only.

"Hey y'all!" I greeted them. We sat at the table, and I said, "The food looks delicious!"

"It's just that I had some helping hands today at the kitchen." Ukyo smiled.

"Oh I'm sorry! It was supposed to be my day for cooking, but I totally left it." I apologized to him.

"No problem at all! You needed to concentrate on your studies. Besides, it wasn't much of a work." Ukyo said.

"Ah, no! We worked our fingers to the core!" Tsubaki dramatized.

"And somehow, yours seemed to be completely useless." Azusa remarked, sipping some water from his glass.

"But I had to do as much work as you guys, even though it's my exam time as well." Yuusuke arched his eyebrows.

"Don't be a sissy!" Tsubaki sassily crinkled his eyes at Yuusuke.

"Shut up! I'm not one!" Yuusuke argued, and the white-haired one simply smirked. I giggled and said, "Okay okay, I'll make it up to you all!"

The elevator tinged, and out walked Natsume, holding his laptop bag in his hands, "Bet you weren't expecting me."

"Yeah, what made you stop by?" Yuusuke asked, a bored expression plastered on his face.

"Just ran out of groceries, I guess. Had nothing to eat for the dinner." He replied.

"What about the packed stuff?"

"Finished them long ago." He walked towards the table and smiled at me. I smiled back even wider. _Hehe. HeHe. HEHE._

"Shut up." I mouthed to myself.

 _HEHE._

"I'll get another plate!" Wataru enthusiastically said and sprinted towards the kitchen, returning immediately with a set of plates and cups.

"Thanks, kiddo." Natsume said and we began our dinner.

"Mmm, this is so good!" I remarked. These guys had impressed me – they had managed to make wonderful food.

"You like it?" Tsubaki asked, eyeing me as I ate. I gulped down the spoonful of soup I had and nodded.

"Thanks, guys. I really appreciate all this. You guys are truly supportive." I thanked, grinning at all of them. Natsume listened with interest.

"No problem at all. We thought that it would give you a chance to rest. After all, you've been locked up in that room for hours." Azusa said.

"Is that so?" Natsume spoke, and I nodded.

"Yeah, she has been." Yuusuke added.

"Aha, and what about you? Are you gonna fail this time as well, _Yuusuke-kun_?" Tsubaki joked.

The redhead fumed and shrieked, "Ask her! I've been working hard too."

"Yeah yeah yeah, he's pretty dedicated, maybe even more than me." I shrugged, looking at him, and a faint red color appeared on his face.

"T-Thanks for backing me up." He muttered, and I nodded in acknowledgement.

"I'm rather, like, nervous... about this," I confessed, fiddling with the end of my t-shirt, "This is gonna be the first time I'll be giving some sort of exams here, and they're apparently gonna decide my next few years. That's why I have even applied to a security university as well."

"You've applied to a safety university?" Masaomi questioned.

"Yeah, because, you know, safety?"

"Now wait a minute." Came the hasty reply from the redhead sitting beside me. He was standing and looking at me, with seriousness painted across his features. His hand clutched hard to the end of the table, as he began with a bold tone, "Safety school is no option. You need to trust in yourself and have confidence in whatever you are doing. Just hard work is enough. You know what? You'll be judged there, and I know that you'll make it out. And I am going to as well, and I haven't even applied to a safety school."

All faces stared agape at him.

 _Slow claps..._

"Whoa, never knew you had it in you." Natsume said, and resumed eating his supper.

"Yeah, man, that was lit." Tsubaki said, still staring at him with disbelief.

"And knowing you, who barely passes, this decision was reckless. But on second thoughts, that was expected from you." Azusa said.

"Go on, we'll support you." Masaomi smiled.

"That was an unintelligent decision, but that little speech you gave was quite inspiring anyway." Ukyo admitted.

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence." Yuusuke sarcastically muttered.

I immediately added, "No, you're right. I'm gonna work hard for this, and we'll make it through this together." I grinned at him, and his expression eased. He smiled nervously at me, and said, "Y-Yeah? Right, that's it."

"Yes! And I'll help you both!" A cheery voice exclaimed, as Wataru appeared in between the both of us and slightly pushed the redhead aside.

"Love you too, kid." He deadpanned, as he seated himself and continued with the food.

"So, Onee-chan, I've gotten you a few helping cards too! Check them out!" He handed a thin stack of homemade cards. He read them out:

"Playing video games, works as many times as you want it.

Washing the dishes: Thrice in a week, terms and conditions apply.

A 100 smooches card: For whenever you want!"

 _Okay, wow. This time I'm speechless. #shook_

Yuusuke chocked on the water he was apparently drinking, and all oif the members of the dining table sat dumbstruck.

"Uh, Wataru, but wh-what's with the count?" Ukyo managed to question out loud.

"What? I'm just trying to be helpful!" He grinned.

O~O~O

After the dinner, I went to the balcony for a gush of fresh air, when I found Natsume there, leaning on the further end of the railing, there for the same purpose. Light breeze blew through as I walked to him, and a few strands of his hair swayed with the wind.

"H-Hey, Natsume." I said. Why was I stuttering?

He looked at me, and straightened himself, and showed a small smile and he said, "Hey."

I went to stand beside him, and his arm brushed about mine, causing tingles to go down my spine. _What are you in? Some cliché story?_

I swear to god I felt the tingles. It was like I touched an open wire. I looked at him, and he was looking at the city ahead, a slight frown resting on his features.

"What's wrong?" I sensed, and implored. He looked at me, and with an incomprehensible emotion in his eyes, he heaved out a sigh.

"Nothing at all." He said, "Just about the work. You tell – what's up with you?"

"Ah, just exams." I waved off, "I'm just hoping they'll be over soon." I lied. I had a lot of other things on my mind – and I some things he had to know. Well, everybody had to, even though I still had a teeny bit of confusion in my mind.

Yes, I was ready with my answers. Crazy, I know, but ready.

 _Of course, the credit goes to me. Thank you, and no autographs, please!_

"Not the time, I'm so nervous shut up!" I inwardly scolded my mini-me.

 _Okie, but you owe me an apology. I'M H-U-R-T._

I sighed, and Natsume said, "Yeah, I'm rooting for you to pass them. No pressure, okay?" He placed his hands on my shoulders, and I filled in a breath, and nodded.

Right at that moment, his phone rang.

 _The timing, I swear to chocolate donuts!_

He picked up his phone, retreating his hands from my body, and answered, "Hello? Natsume Asahina speaking... mhm... the twenty eighth? Are you sure?... fine, good night." He let out an audible sigh, and looked at me right in the eyes.

"I have something I need to tell you."

"What? I asked.

"I'll be... going out of country for a while."

 _WHAT. THE. HELL._

"What? Why?" I hurriedly asked.

"Just a business trip. I'll be gone on twenty-eight of this month."

"Isn't that my graduation day?"

"Yeah, that too..." He sighed, looking at the ground. He looked up back at me a moment later, "I'm sorry for the sudden news. The thing is, I won't be here to listen to your final answer, and I'll be regretting that."

Don't say that – I wanted to speak, but what came out of my mouth was, "That's okay... but how long will you be gone for?"

"I have no idea."

"What? That's ridiculous!" I said, and then breathed out, "I don't want you to go."

"Me neither, but I have to." He reasoned, but the reluctance in his voice was transparent.

"O-Okay..." I accepted it. I needed to give him his answer at that time. I had to. I had to.

Was I even clear with my feelings? What did I want? That didn't matter, I had to give him an answer.

But I couldn't bring myself to do so.

"It's... it's getting late, isn't it?" I feigned, and he nodded, "Yeah, I better get going too. Night."

"...Night." I watched his lean figure as he walked towards the entrance of the balcony. A thousand things ran through my mind – from the moment we had first met, to the matches and laughter, the video game marathons and supportive points, the tears and long drives... the kiss and finally, the one who had appeared in my mind when Riya had asked me to close my eyes and tell her who I had seen.

It was him, all along.

The door creaked shut as he walked out, and I realized – I had fallen for Natsume.

 **OHHHHHKAYYYYYYYYYY WE GOT THE FINAL SHIP, MI FRAANDS!**

 **TBT, I initially had no inspiration to write this chapter, so I had to re-read my own fanfic to get into the feel. Trust me, I have really grown out of most of the stuff I had written in the beginning.**

 **And yeah, I was so in the mood to write this, but I justttttt couldn't satisfy myself. WOW, I'M A POTATO FOR AN AUTHOR. But tell me your views through the reviews!**

 **ALSO, ONLY TWO CHAPTERS ARE LEFT AFTER THIS ONE. OKAY WE'VE COME SO FAR I'M CRYING!**

 **Facts about the story? (C'mon, we're at the end!)**

 **(1) Sabrina was inspired by Kriti Sanon's role in** _ **Raabta**_ **, Kate Winslet's role in** _ **Titanic**_ **, Rapunzel from** _ **Tangled**_ **, a few other random people I like, and most of all, ME (like 85% me). So yeah, her personality a mixture of all of these people!**

 **(2) The mini-me was never meant to be included in the story. I just had the urge to comment on every single weird thing happening in the story, and I couldn't include little author note's after every line, so I made mini-me. SO, BASICALLY I AM THE MINI-ME, though it's a bit more pompous. (you love it, don't you?)**

 **(3)Iori was never meant to leave the story. I just found his story with Fuyuka interesting, and so, put him in such a delicate state that he had to leave. Yeah, I'm cruel.**

 **(4) Sabrina's name had many suggestions (by my friends too). Examples? Sabrina was considered after these names: Akira, Samaira, Chilly Potato, Nemo (literally). I'm not even kidding about the last two.**

 **THAT'S IT! If I remember a few more facts, then I'll be sure to add them at the end of the next chapter! I hope you enjoyed! Comment, fav, follow, whatever!**

 **#LoveYou  
Diamond Shyn **


	47. Chapter 47: Happily

**Red Diamond**

 **Ayy how're you all?!**

 **Just to let you know, THIS IS THE SECOND LAST CHAPTER... and it's gonna be LOOOOONG. *le cries***

 **This chappie will have all what you wished for... and I really really really hope you like it! HERE'S MY ROMANCEEEEEE~! CHEERS TO MY ROMANCE SQUAD!**

 **Thanks to all those who followed and favourited this story! There was a long list so it wasn't possible to mention all those amazing people who did follow and fave, but a huge thanks to all of you lovelies!**

 **And for the record, I'm gonna mention at the beginning and the end of the chapter when I started writing and finished this one chapter. So, here's it: 07 April, 2018; 10:56 PM. (Hey people from the far future! If you are in the year 2040 and reading this, then THANK YOU AND BTW HAVE YOU EVOLVED INTO VAMPIRES ALREADY?)**

 **Let it begin!**

 **Disclaimer: Okay, we're on the 47th chapter and I still do not own this. Why, God, why?! Oh, and I DO NOT like D-O N-O-T mean to hurt anyone through the contents of this story, like c'mon, learn to take things a bit easy and not be a grumpy ghost about it – and there I go, offending people already, yay.**

Chapter 47: Happily

Sabrina's POV

It was finally the day of the exam...

...And I was a bloody mess.

 _OMG WHERE ARE THE SOCKS?! WHAT THE- ARE YOU GONNA WEAR A GREEN AND A BLUE SOCK TO AN EXAMINATION HALL? YOU DUMB? IS YOU OKAY?_ I ran through all the drawers in my closet just to find a matching sock, matching with any one of the two. I couldn't look like a low-key 'The Joker' on the day of the exam.

"Where are you? You imbecile piece of rug? I need ya!" I screeched as I rummaged through the piles of clothes, through them across the room. I looked in the drawers of my nightstand, the study desk, the pen-stand (I mean, you never know) and at last, found a pair of black socks curled up under my bed.

"There you are!" I sighed in relief as I reached out, and fitted one of them up by foot. At the moment, I was wearing a shirt, half unbuttoned, only a single sock, with my hair still tossed as if I just woke up (which was true). I buttoned up my shirt – it didn't have many buttons either, to start with; I have no idea what took me so long – and while I combed my hair, I heard a knock on my door. I hastily collected my hair into a ponytail and ran to answer the door.

"Hey!" I said before I even fully opened the door. I looked and saw that it was Louis, holding an iris in his hand.

"Good morning, Sabrina-chan." He bent a little, and did what I called slightly ruffling my hair – he actually fixed them.

"There you go. Having yourself polished on an important day always brings self-confidence." He told me.

"Ah, thanks!" I said. He offered me the iris. Before I could ask, he said, "I received a message from Iori. Well, from an unknown number, claiming he was Iori. He told me to give you this iris."

"That's quite... thoughtful of him." I loved how he was away, yet he remembered the important day. I accepted the flower, and Louis turned to go, wishing me luck.

"Bye, and thanks again." I called out as I shut the door of my room, and placed the flower in the vase standing on my nightstand. Then I remembered that I was going late, so I pulled up the other sock and grabbed my bag... yeah, I was wearing only a single sock all this while.

 _See, I told you before that you're the most organized person on the planet!_

"Okay, stop with the nuisance." I told my mini-me as I locked my door, "Let's have a few rules. Number one: you aren't gonna speak anything once I reach the hall."

 _I can live with that... kinda..._

"Number two: You are not gonna start playing any random song while I'm solving the questions. I don't want a repeat of the last time, when you suddenly began playing Let Me Love You while I was solving that one stupid physics numerical."

 _But that song is fire!_

"Le fin." I spoke, as Yuusuke joined me on the elevator. We said our usual morning greetings, and I could easily see how tense he was, even though he tried to act cool and composed on the outside. His constant tapping of the foot resembled mine, and it was evident how he was growing impatient by each second.

"Chill, we're gonna do it." I said, placing a hand on his shoulder, and he relaxed. He showed a small smile and said, "Yeah... all the best."

"To you too."

We reached the fifth floor, and waiting for us were Ukyo, Hikaru, and Masaomi. Ukyo handed us our lunch bags, and each of them had an advice for us to share: how we could use the time efficiently, and more tips like that.

A phone call from Fuuto interrupted their little talk. "Hello, I answered it.

"So I heard it's your big day today?" He said from the other end.

"Yeah it is. Why did you call?"

"So that you could bless yourself with my sexy voice, why else?" He cheekily replied.

I sighed and spoke, "Did you just call to tease me? Wrong timing, man."

He breathed, and paused for a moment. Then he began, with a melancholic voice this time, "Listen, just... best of luck. I'm rooting for you to clear this exam."

"Huh?" I said, and he cut the line. I looked at my phone in utter shock, and then smiled, knowing that he wasn't as cocky for once. "Thanks, Fuuto." I muttered under my breath.

Yuusuke and I exited the building, with me thinking about my brothers. One way or another, they were all genuinely concerned for us. They wished the best for us, truly. Making small talks with the redhead about the questions we had learnt, we reached the building in which our exam was to be taken. I filled in a breath, wishing my own self the strength to endure the physics questions I had to face.

 _And let's hope that you don't get distracted by the thoughts of Natsume... oh, oops._

"What the hell? This has to be the last time that you're speaking in the next four hours." I inwardly nudged myself, as Yuusuke and I walked into the building, a rush of anxiousness as well as trust on self filling in.

We could do this.

O~O~O

The exam had been fairly easy, except for a couple of questions here and there, which were, obviously, physics. The history and the language exams had also been painless, and we were just a day away from the result. At the moment, I was sitting under the huge tree – whose type I had actually forgotten – in our estates, and reading an Agatha Christie book, but my mind kept constantly drifting onto the how the final result would be.

Also, about confessing to Natsume, I had reasons to delay it: (1) I needed to give the others their answers before straight-off confessing to Natsume; (2) I hadn't rehearsed what in my mind a thousand times the things I was going to tell him; (3) I wasn't quite ready to, you know, blush again.

"In some trouble?" I looked up to see the source of the voice, and it turned out to be Kaname, clad in a beige long coat. I stood up to face him.

"Ah, no, just the nervousness for the result." I said, placing the bookmark and shutting the book.

"I understand, but don't you worry, imouto-chan~!" He placed a hand on my shoulder and gently squeezed it, "I know you'll pass."

"Thanks." I crinkled my eyes. He showed a flirty smile and continued, "And even if you don't, then no need to worry – big brother will teach you other stuff, huh?"

I jokingly pushed his hand off my shoulder and said, "You're never gonna change, are you?" And we both chuckled.

"Seems like I will, very soon." He said.

"Why?"

"I'm going for some further monk training tonight, and won't return for the next few months."

"What?" I made an absurd face. What was up with everyone, suddenly moving out?

 _I'm sure that ain't the case. One of his "girls" must've had STD and transferred it to him, I'm telling you_.

I tried hard to suppress my laughter at the words of my mini-me. Seriously, this thing couldn't be born out of my mind.

 _Don't be a smarty; just throw him a goodbye party._

Kaname chuckled and said, "Well, it's all a part of life. One has to move on, sometime or the other."

"True, but it hasn't even been a year with y'all."

"I agree, but just know that I'd always care for you, even when away. We all will." He said, and wow, it sounded good, coming from his mouth, which he mostly used to throw flirty comments.

I smiled in return, and he continued, "And this house will forever be our little nest, where we all grew up, and shared the best as well as worst times of our lives. We would gain success and prosperity, but at the end of the day, we would return to this nest of ours."

"True, this place is special." I said, looking at the house before us. It contained laughter and conflicts, jokes and tears, and all of that was forever to be kept inside those walls.

He looked at his watch, and spoke, "Looks like I've gotta go and pack."

"Okay, bye." I hugged him, and he gladly returned the embrace.

"Later." He said, as he pulled away and walked into the house. At that moment, my phone tinged twice. I checked to see that I had received two messages, one each from the twins simultaneously. Both of them read:

You must be busy with the graduation ceremony coming up, but just wanted to ask you if you were up for the idea of the three of us going to an amusement park tonight?

I texted back: Sure!

I needed to tell them their answers.

O~O~O

The ride went up, like ridiculously high up, and stopped, as anticipation flooded our veins.

"Aye, hold on." I whispered, holding my breath. The ride suddenly went downwards on full speed, as the three of us screamed in excitement. Another four rounds of the same thing, and I was totally dizzy. The second we stepped out of our seats, I was full on swaying.

I had to hold onto the railing for a minute to let my mini-me do the work:

 _You're still on the planet, no, you haven't bounced off to Neptune, you have two feet, you have two eyes, and yeah, earth isn't flat._

"I could ride that one over and over again and never get bored." Tsubaki said, tucking his arms behind his head.

"Can relate." I said. I kind of liked this dizziness. Talk about finally losing sanity.

Several hours had passed since Tsubaki, Azusa, and I had begun trying out the rides. It was partially dusk, and we were still roaming around the park, walking about the stalls that sold little apparels and food items.

"So, are you enjoying it?" Azusa asked.

"Yeah! I actually missed this!" I said, stopping by an ice-cream stand. They got the idea and walked towards it with me, and I was the first one to order, of course, being the hungry hobo I was.

"21 Love!" I said, and both of them said in unison, "Belgium chocolate."

We grabbed our shares of the frosty delight and went up the lounge, and to its rooftop. Admiring the lighted scenery before us, we stood by the railing, watching people as they screamed in excitement, laughed in pure joy, and some kids stubbornly pleading their parents to buy them some kind of fluffy toy or plushy.

I was tensed. I had to give them an answer then and there, and I was deciding on the words to speak to them. How to make it sound as gentle as possible, yet give them the idea that it was a final rejection. Wow, the last part sounded bad.

I coughed my throat, and they looked over at me, protectively, and simultaneously said, "What happened?"

"Jinx!" Tsubaki said, as they both chuckled.

"You two are pretty close, aren't you?" I began. Good luck.

"Sure we are." Azusa said.

"And, uh, you do feel the same things, am I right?"

"Yeah, but why?" Tsubaki asked. I filled in a breath, because damn, there was the real show.

"We have shared some amazing time together. And, maybe, somewhere things took a turn, when you guys confessed things to me, separately." I looked at them both, stepping back a bit, "Yeah, things did seem weird, but you know, life happens, and coffee helps, but nuh-uh."

 _Okay, the hell are you even saying anymore?_

They considerately nodded, and I continued, "After a lot of thought, I think, I-I finally have the answer to give to you guys."

"And we'd be interested in hearing that." Tsubaki said, and both of them slightly smirked.

I was running out of ideas. Never in my life had I been so nervous. It was like their hearts were so fragile, made up of thin glass, and I was the one who was going to drop them and let them shatter into pieces. I was feeling empathetic at the wrong time.

I filled in another breath, a long one this time, and with a little frown, I said, "There's... There's someone else, Tsubaki, Azusa. I can't return the feelings you have for me, and I'm so sorry."

They frowned a little, and believe me, I felt like a terrible person right there. How I felt like straight off jumping off the nearest cliff, ask me.

A minute so passed in silence, with me repeating under my breath, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Sorry is the new black.

Tsubaki looked at me straight in the eyes, and before proceeding to say anything, he cast a furtive glance at Azusa, and commenced, "Don't worry, we get it well."

Azusa said, "Your heart has a different someone, but ours do not."

Tsubaki continued, "And the truth remains the same..."

They then spoke in perfectly coordinated unison, "We love you, Sabrina, and forever will."

Wow imma freak out any second now.

"...Okay?..." I slowly said, as Tsubaki swiftly grabbed my right hand, and bent to kiss my knuckles. Oh god.

AND while I was busy trying to control myself to just not react at such an overwhelming gift, Azusa grabbed my left hand and placed a kiss on the top of it as well.

 _Better Hurry Styles and get out of here. You see what I did there, eh eh?_

O~O~O

The twins and I had just returned to the Sunrise Residence, when we saw another car pulling up, we stepped out of car, and soon saw Subaru climbing out of the other wagon as well. Dressed in a casual attire, he paid the fare to the driver and turned to look at us.

"Hey." He said in an uncertain manner, and then blurted out, "You're all here...? Wasn't today the day of yours and Yuusuke's result?" He asked me.

Tsubaki replied to his query, "It's tomorrow, genius." With that, he headed inside the building, Azusa closely following behind. It was just me and him left at the spot, and I couldn't get a better chance to do what I was going to do...

...Guessed it right, the answer.

Narrator's POV

He splashed his face with the cold water, the icy droplets almost instantaneously trickling down his neck and then his bare chest. A few strands of his flame-red hair stuck to the sides of his face, and he swept them away with one quick swipe across his face.

Yuusuke's grip tightened on the edge of the sink he was holding onto; wiping his face with a towel, from behind the towel shone a face colored with all seriousness. He stared at his reflection on the mirror before him, taking note of each and every detail of his face – and at times, slipping into his own thoughts. Thoughts of his life, his future, his probable success – all to be faced by him with a certain young lady by his side, her hand in his, an everlasting smile etched across her bright face – and how he was going to confess to that one girl. The girl he loved.

"You can do this." He commanded his reflection with sincerity. It was about time he joined his brothers in the charade – but anyhow, he had to confess to Sabrina.

It was just the evening before the result, and he could bet that he was going to pass with flying colors. Never in his life had he worked so hard, but just for her, and her only. Just to get in the same college as her, look after her, make her his, though that was to take time.

A new-found confidence arose in his system, as he threw a t-shirt on and jogged to the elevator (he had seen Azusa and Tsubaki come in and figured that Sabrina would be with them), and then to the entrance, but stopped near the adjacent wall, his legs unable to move, all upon witnessing the scene before his eyes.

From behind the wall where he was, he could see Sabrina wrapped in a tight embrace by Subaru, with them whispering things to each other. She was smiling – yes, she was happy to be there with him, in his arms, near him.

A sudden coil tightened in his chest, and his self-esteem shattered to pieces, and that one motivation he had took its shape into a huge frown.

She was happy with someone else.

And wasn't her happiness all that he desired?

He stepped back. That wasn't how he had imagined it to be. That wasn't going as per his desire, but when did it ever? Casting a final glance in her way, he looked at the ground, thinking how his dream had just been a lie. Sabrina, the one he loved with all his heart, had chosen his brother over him, and that's what hurt the most. Maybe she didn't see him as good enough? God knows.

Maybe they weren't supposed to be. They were just meant to be best-friends... right?

...

Just as the red-head flew from the scene, the duo separated, both of them smiling.

"I'm so so so relieved that you took the answer well and maturely. I really appreciate that, thanks." Sabrina said, crinkling her eyes at the taller male.

"No problem for that. I don't know if I can... actually let go of the feelings, but I hope we can keep things as good as they were before." Subaru proposed.

"Definitely, I would love that."

...

"So here's your ticket, Asahina." A young, brown-haired man handed Natsume an airplane ticket to Colorado, assigned to the orange-haired man himself. He muttered a quick 'thanks' before carelessly sliding it into his laptop bag, and collecting the rest of the things from his desk to shove into that bag again. The man – called Ayato – stood leaning to the doorway, watching Natsume pack his material.

Natsume cast a look at Ayato, and the brown-haired man sighed, and spoke, "And I've got one for myself too." He showed him a ticket which carried his name, but the same destination on the same day.

"That's... good." Natsume said, looking at the cover of his closed laptop.

"You do know that the flight leaves tomorrow, right?" Ayato questioned, to which the other nodded, and he continued, "And you still aren't certain about going to Colorado? It's a big chance, and you know, you've gotta live there for two years."

"I know, I know." Natsume jadedly replied, still unsure whether to take such a drastic step or not. The offer had occurred for him, and it was no less than a golden chance. But, he still hadn't received an answer from Sabrina. He couldn't just leave without listening to her answer.

And if it was a yes from her, he could never even think of leaving. Never.

"You do know that I can go for you, right? I have your back, anytime." Ayato asked. Natsume hummed in response. He trusted Ayato – he was the vice-president of the company at the time, anyway. He couldn't gain anything out of going in place of Natsume, but just the name, and Natsume knew it well, too.

He fished out the piece of paper from the bag and read the time of take-off: 7 PM.

He pondered over the situation he was in: there was a very little chance of getting a positive response from her – after all, she had probably considered all of their brothers. And if she chose someone over him... he wouldn't bear to survive with that. Of course, who can live the fact that the love of your life loves someone else, even though it is a dreadfully common occurrence in most cases?

"I think... I'm going to Colorado." Natsume replied.

He wouldn't be able to survive that way. If she had a no for him, then he would silently exit her life, and maybe, never see her again.

O~O~O

Sabrina's POV

It was the day of the result.

 _Omg..._

I was in my school campus, standing at a safe distance of a few feet from the huge board, where the roll numbers of the students who had passed and been accepted into their colleges was displayed.

 _OMG..._

My heart was thumping. What if I didn't pass? What if- No, I was not going through the 'what if's' again for the thousandth time and was just going to walk through the crowd like Beyonce and see if my roll number was there.

Yet, in spite of my imaginary confidence, I took three steps in a minute and slowly but steadily neared the crowd, still not ready to look at the results. Out of the blues, Yuusuke came running to me and screamed, "Yes! There is your roll number!" He pointed at the board, and I had to squint my eyes to clearly view the digits.

And he wasn't joking. I, in fact, had passed.

 _OMG OMG OMG THE PARTY POPPERS WHERE ARE THEY WHEN YOU NEED THEM YAYYYYYYY!_

"Oh, my god, yes!" I squealed, and jumped up and down, and Yuusuke took me in a hug, exclaiming, "You did it! I'm so proud of you!"

"I know! But, you?" I pulled back, and he nodded, and said, "I need to check."

I was astonished, that even at such a critical stage, he chose to look for my number instead of looking for his own. I looked at him, and his eyes searched for the numbers, but soon, he stopped, and flashed a small, shy smile.

"You did it too?!" I enthusiastically asked, and I honestly hoped he did. He had been working way too hard for it.

"No, but will do next time." He showed a sad smile, and mine vanished.

 _What?! How could he not?!_

"You're serious?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, but I'm gonna work extra hard for it next time." He said, still smiling, but I could see the disappointment behind it.

We walked home, and upon entering the fifth floor, a couple of party poppers blasted as soon as the elevator's doors opened.

 _Now that's where my party poppers were!_

"Congratulations!" We saw all the brothers congratulating us, but Fuuto and Natsume were missing. Why the hell was Natsume not there? He told me he would be there, and of course, I was already getting butterflies in my stomach, thinking about how I would go about giving my answer to him.

They had, anyway, apparently gotten the letter from the school already. All of them gave a huge pat of congrats to us, and while Ukyo showed us the delicious lunch he had prepared for all of us, the doorbell rung, and Hikaru asked Yuusuke to get it.

The redhead protested, but as always, he was dragged from the room, while I could simply drool at the aroma of such delicious food.

Minutes later, he came in with an absurd face, holding a white colored envelope in his hands. His expression was somewhere between 'I wanna cry out loud' and 'This is the best day ever'.

"What's up?"Masaomi asked him, and he shoved the letter in Ukyo's hands, while Hikaru and Tsubaki gathered around him to peek into the letter taken out of the envelope.

"Backup candidate acceptance?" Hikaru read out loud.

"Nice!" Tsubaki appreciated in wonder.

"You did it! You got accepted!" Wataru exclaimed.

"Whoa, man! You actually did it! I told ya!" I said, genuinely happy for him.

"So, I, uh, really got accepted?" He asked me.

"Uh huh."

"And I'm going into the same college as you?"

"Yeah!"

"And this isn't, like, a dream or something?"

"No, this isn't, like, a dream or something!" As soon as I said that, he fell to the floor and began... crying?

 _I know, physics does things to your head._

"All my life I've been degraded and lead down, "He began his sob story, as we all stood, dumbstruck, "And teased for being who I am, and now, this seems unreal. But... but I've done this. I'm going to the same college as you. I am a real man. My hard work paid off." He wiped his tears with his sleeve.

Hikaru slow-clapped, and commented, "Nice, nice, not very awkward to start a party with."

Yuusuke immediately shot up and pointed at Hikaru, and shrieked, "Who's an after-thought now, huh?"

O~O~O

While in the midst of having the lunch, my phone buzzed, and i answered it to hear Fuuto's voice, "Turn on the news, sweetheart." With that, he hung up.

"Who was it?" Azusa asked.

"Fuuto. Asked me to turn the news on."

"Okie dokie." Wataru said and switched on the news channel, where the reporters read, "And today's entertainment news has the teen pop idol Fuuto Asakura's new buzz about something that happened earlier in his concert today."

A clip from his concert played, where Fuuto, dressed in his funk attire, said on his microphone, "So everyone, my sister had her results today, and since I couldn't be there to congratulate her, I'd like to take a moment here." The lights changed and his fangirls lowered their voices, so he began, "First off, I'd like to congratulate you for your success. I knew your hard work would pay off well. And thank you for all those countless fun moments between us, so be ready for more!" And he winked.

 _Ay ay ay are you famous now?_

"The hell?" Yuusuke arched an eyebrow, shrugging and then continuing to eat his supper.

The lights were normal and bright again, and he spoke, "Finally, I'd also like to make a declaration here." The audience quieted down again, and he commented, "I can never see myself belonging to any other person but you, and I would do anything in my power to make you mine as well. Better watch out, because I don't give up that easily."

"That's a cryptic message from Fuuto to his fangirls to tweet about for months! Look at social media already flooded with this news!" The reporter said, as Fuuto's clip subsided.

 _WAOW WHAT A STUPID REPORTER_

"That bastard!" Yuusuke spat, looking incredulously at the flat screen, as the reporter blabbered some more rubbish.

"He really just attempted that." Azusa remarked.

"That was not for his fangirls." Tsubaki said, shrugging at the image of the reporter.

"I have no freaking idea of how to give him his answer." I said inaudibly to myself.

Better yet, don't give him an answer, but a slap. Remember the scene when you previously gave him one!?

I giggled at the hilarious memory, and whispered, "Thanks, Fuuto." The television suddenly switched off, and when I saw the remote, it was lying as it was a few minutes ago, and no one seemed to have been advanced towards it a few seconds ago. Well, nobody ever knew who actually turned it off.

A few minutes into the meal, I received a text message from Natsume, which read: Congratulations! I knew you would make it through. Apologies for not being there, though. My flight to Colorado leaves tonight, so had to get packing.

 _What the hell. He's leaving tonight?_

I texted back: Aye, that's alright, and thanks! Can't wait to give you the treat that you asked for earlier. When are you returning?

His reply came almost instantaneously: I'm going for two years, probably.

I stopped eating, and stared at the screen disbelief. He was going away for two years, and he didn't even tell me once.

Okay, he did, but he wasn't sure about where he had to go and till when. And I hadn't even confessed to him. The situation was ridiculous. I checked the time, and it was a quarter past four. I could still make it, since he said 'tonight' and it wasn't 'night' yet – yep, that was my logic.

"What happened? You look tensed." Subaru asked. All eyes turned to me.

"Oh, nothing! Just a... friend who has got the flu." I lied. The rest nodded and resumed eating, and I sighed in relief, until I felt a pair of eyes on me. I looked around and saw Hikaru looked at me through the corner of his eyes. He smirked at me, and resumed eating as well.

After the lunch and the free chatter ended, it was evening, and I changed into my usual clothes, and went outside, looking for a taxi. But, unfortunately for me, it had begun raining a few minutes ago, so no taxi stopped for a booking.

"Need some help?" I turned to look at Hikaru, standing behind me with a sly smirk, and twirled the keys of his car around his finger.

"Guess so. To Natsume's." I sheepishly replied, and followed him to climb into his car. He started off fast and I couldn't complain.

"You're quite efficient, I must say." Hikaru commented.

"Um, thanks, but why?" I questioned. He drew out a folded sheet from his pocket while still driving the car, and handed it to me. I unfolded the paper and it was some sort of a table, headed with a big and bold 'Brothers Conflict'. There were thirteen columns and numerous rows, and each had a number scrawled in it. I tried to understand it – it was definitely related to our brothers, because of the number of columns and the title itself. Yet, I couldn't somewhat get what the sheet was all about. I tried to make sense of the numbers. Were they some arithmetical progressions? A pattern? An occurrence? Or just random?

"What is this?" I asked.

"To put it bluntly, it's just the score of each of our brothers on wooing you."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm not a fool, darling, we all can see each other's intentions as clear as crystal, but we ignore them. The advances on impressing you, the kisses, the hugs? I've witnessed it all, don't lie to me." A smirk played on his lips.

"Whoa, okay." Hikaru really was full of surprises.

"And now, you've saved me enough trouble and suspense by choosing Natsume yourself." He remarked, and I was stunned. He wasn't kidding; he actually knew stuff. As we stopped at a red light, he took the paper from me, and tore it with a messy gracefulness, and threw the pieces out of the window, where, under the heavy rain, they turned into some sort of mache.

"The Brothers Conflict is over now." He said, and faked a sigh, "I had to go through a hell lot of research to get that information, and look at it now." He grinned and started driving.

"...That sure was news to me." I said, not understanding if I was being true or sarcastic.

"But I guess my work is done now." He pulled up to the front of Natsume's building , "All the best, sweetie."

"Thank you so much for this!" I said, giving him a quick hug from the side, and exited the car, and immediately ran into the entrance of the building, not intending to get drenched in the rain. I climbed the stairs as fast as I could, hearing the engine of Hikaru's car go off as he drove away, and when I finally reached Natsume's floor, I took in a long breath, pulling my hair back and setting the puff, anxious as I could be. Was everyone this anxious whenever they had to confess to someone?

I walked to his door, but didn't get a chance to ring the bell, since his door had a huge lock. I checked the time on my phone: 6 PM. The sun was nowhere to be seen, obviously, since it was raining, but the sky was a deep shade of blue, threatening to turn black any second.

I called Natsume's number, and he didn't pick it up.

"No no no no no, this isn't the 'night' he was referring to, no." I panicked and called him multiple times, but the message given was that his phone was switched off. I looked from the balcony down to the road, and his car was nowhere to be seen.

Switched off phone, locked door, missing car... has he left?

"Shit..." I whispered to myself, descending the stairs of the building, "Shit, shit, shit, I lost him!" I cried to myself, reaching the end of the building, partially where the roof above my head ended and I could get soaked in the rain. The downpour had slowed down a bit, but it was still enough to get easily drenched in. I sat on the bench, placed right on the spot where there was no roof, and held my head in my hands.

I didn't care about sitting in the rain and wetting myself, but the entire morose was about the fact that I had lost him. He had told me that he was going, I knew it all too well, yet I couldn't get myself to gather some guts to do a task as pleasurable, as sweet as telling him that I loved him.

I didn't know what to think – things seemed messed up, even after I had been trying to sort them out, and even been successful in doing so. But what was the point if I lost my centre of focus, even after countless amends?

"Sabrina?" A voice I knew all too well spoke, and my head shot up, stained with a couple of tears that had been washed away in the rain. It was Natsume, looking at me perplexedly through his gorgeous violet eyes.

"Oh, my god." I whispered in utter excitement, unable to control my change in emotions, as delight took over glum. I ran to him immediately took him in a hug. His body tensed at the sudden action, but he didn't waste another second in hugging me back.

"You're here." I whispered in his chest, "You aren't gone."

"I'm here, Sabrina, what happened?" He asked, as we pulled back.

"Why didn't you pick up your phone? I thought you were already gone." I admitted.

"Sorry, I had left some papers at my desk, so had to go back to collect them." He said. I realized that he was still holding me by my waist, and that was nothing to complain about.

"So, are you still leaving?" I hesitantly asked.

"Yeah..." His face fell, and I could tell that he didn't want to go.

"I don't know how important this is to you, and this might seem stupid to do now, but..." I filled in a deep breath, and looked straight into his eyes, "Natsume... I'm in love with you."

I had a thousand words to say to him, but I was lost in his mesmerizing violet eyes, tongue-tied, and weak at my knees. Even though I knew that he wouldn't possibly reject my feelings, my heart beat at an ultra-fast pace in ultimate nervousness. But it was all worth it, when I saw his face lighting up, his lips breaking into a smile, and his eyes crinkling, as his hold on my body strengthened – almost possessively, I may add – and he pulled me closer to him, whispering in my ear, "I love you too, and I'm never letting you go. Never."

With that, disregarding the rain pouring down on us, soaking us completely, he leaned down to kiss me passionately, and this time, I kissed him back. I felt him smile against me, as we kissed.

He huskily murmured, "I'm here to stay."

 **OH MY GOD LOOK AT THAT CUTE COUPLE I JUST CREATED OMGGGGGGG THEY'RE SO CUTE CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE IN THE AIR?!**

 **(but imma cry coz im single since always)**

 **DON'T GO AWAY, MY READERS, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE END, THIS IS NOT THE END, WE CAN LIVE FOREVERRRRR!**

 **SERIOUSLY, THETRE'S A CHAPTER LEFT IN THIS BOOK, BUT LOOK HOW FAR WE'VE COME!**

 **And ha, the finishing date of this chapter: 29 April, 2018, 5:40 PM. Okay, lemme explain: (1) I was swinging in a depressive phase (still am, for that matter, but nvm); (2) My computer CRASHED, and so did my phone, so I just had a Twilight book and Kindle to look at (p.s. yes this chapter is published after 29 Apr because my computer and phone still aren't functioning, so don't ask me how I even managed to publish this); (3) THIS CHAPTER WAS DAMN LONG LIKE LOOK AT THAT WORD COUNT, FREAKING 6,301!**

 **Also, thank you for bearing with me for this shitty romance (I honestly expected better romantic scene to be written, but haha, brain) but trust me, the scenario in my brain about that proposal makes me wanna keep 'aww'ing at it – DAYUM DAYUM DAYUM!**

 **BUT DID YOU LIKE IT? BECAUSE THE NEXT ONE... lemme not break the suspense and make ya wait, because I am cruel hehehe.**

 **Be sure to leave reviews, and even fav/follow if you like!**

 **Lol do u guys even read these a/n's?**

 **Till next time,**

 **Diamond Shyn**


	48. Chapter 48: Loved

**Red Diamond**

 **LAST CHAPTER OH MY GOD FETCH ME SOME TISSUES NOW CAN YOU**

 **...And for the first time ever, I don't know what to write for the author's note.**

 **WOULD YOU BELIEVE HOW NERVOUS I AM FOR THIS CHAPTER? I WANT THIS TO BE FILLED WITH EMOTIONS, AND I'M SOOOOOOOO DAMN ANXIOUS I'M LITERALLY SWEATING.**

 **I'm not even kidding. My foot is shaking and my heart is beating so fast and I'm sweating, even though the room is air-conditioned.**

 **AND READERS, PLEASE DO NOT SKIP THIS. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE PLOT OF THE UPCOMING SEQUEL.**

 **Okay, so you have made it so far, to the last chapter, and can I request you to read this one chapter, please? I've hardly been getting any reads and reviews, so MY LOVELY READERS FROM BEFORE, WHERE ARE YOU? I NEED YA!**

 **Also, THANK YOU FOR THE FAVES AND FOLLOWS! YOU'RE SO AWESOME!**

 **Now, *takes a deep breath* let's begin with the last chapter of Red Diamond! *le cries***

 **Disclaimer: Last damn chapter and I still don't own these people. Yo, but I do own the plot of this story, ha, beat that!**

* * *

Chapter 48: Loved

Sabrina's POV

 _(2 years later)_

A pink sky, as one might imagine, is a pretty rare sight, but the blanket of the velvety sky above the cover of the city was worth watching, especially on an evening after a heavy dose of work. But you really can't complain if you're in love with your job.

My job, you must ask, wasn't I supposed to be in a university? Well, I was, but alongside the studies, I had been employed by a huge entertainment company for the choreography of a new musical they were making. Of course, the second I had known that they were open for auditions, I had left all my books and sprinted towards the site.

I boarded a bus, and sat on the window seat, and plugged in a slow, romantic number, and stared out of the window at the city as we quickly passed the scenes, all seemingly in a pinkish hue, perhaps a tad dull yet appealing, because of the sky cover.

And where was I headed to?

My new home, the one I shared with Natsume.

Just to provide a little summary of the previous year, after I had confessed to Natsume that eventful evening, we made it known to our family. They were pretty skeptical of the relationship, because seriously, a brother dating a sister? But the doubts were just momentary, and they all soon got used to it. A few months later, I moved in with Natsume, and in the same week or so, Louis got to know that his biological father was apparently a rich man, residing in France. Of course, it was a reaction-time for the rest of the guys who weren't aware of the fact that Louis was adopted, too.

And life with Natsume? All that a girl can ever wish for, I bet.

As cliché as it might sound, but I was so in love. Of course, I wasn't a cheesy, hopeless romantic (at least not on the outside), so I wasn't stuck like glue to him twenty-four-seven, but I couldn't wish for a better start to each day, when I woke up in his arms, his flawless face so close to mine, framed by light rays of the sun, as his locks fell untidily over his features, but only to add to his beauty. Or a better end to each day, when we would vent out all of the days stress and help out each other through all the problems, if there were any, and of course, the best part being the kisses we shared. And it wasn't just the outer attraction that kept us together, but the fact that he was the most understanding and compassionate person I knew, luckily in my arms, and possibly for the rest of my life.

Oh, and yes, how could I forget the terror? There was this man, Josh Richardson, a mafia, who I was in contact with. Okay, don't give me that shocked face, but when a mafia guy would just come at your doorstep with a kind smile on his face and a bunch of flowers in his hands, with his extremely-serious looking bodyguards behind him, you just can't say no, if you love your life.

He wasn't that bad as a person, that I had come to know of, but sort of feared. At least he was good with me. The rest of my family didn't know about him, and due to security reasons, he couldn't risk getting so public without some sort or disguise, or whatever those guys used.

And as far as I knew, I was going to be twenty the next month, and there were talks of getting me and Natsume married doing rounds in the house. No, I wasn't as impatient as to get hitched right there and then, and nor was he, but we wanted to get engaged. Soon, one could say, was the day. I had secretly bought the ring for him, and was stored in one of my secret drawers, one that no one was allowed to open, and so, no one knew.

I snapped out of my daze as the bus came to a stop, and exited, seeing that it was my stop, and then climbed the flight of stairs to our apartment, when my phone buzzed. It was a text from Riya, and to my utter horror, I read: Emergency, your aunt is dead! You've gotta come here now

I texted back: wth how?!

While I waited for her reply, instead of unlocking the door to the apartment, I booked the next flight to India. Luckily, there was taking off in about twenty minutes, so I had to hurry up and leave without getting my clothes packed. It was for times like these that I left a pair of clothes at my old house back in India, so there was nothing to worry about.

Then came Riya's reply: I'll tell you once you reach. Just hurry up!

I replied: okay, okay, i'm coming, i'm coming

Booking a seat for myself, I ordered a cab and made a run to the airport. What could have possibly happened? My aunt wasn't as old as to have died of some disease. She was a fit person, with a sort of timid personality, but could it have been due to a sudden shock or stroke? If that was the case, then what made her so shocked all of a sudden? After the incident of getting her husband imprisoned, we had been keeping in touch, and she didn't mention anything suspicious or bizarre. What had I missed?

Before I knew it, I was in the plane, getting ready to take off. And then my irresponsible ghost of a mind remembered that I had to tell Natsume that I was going to India. I immediately typed the needful and the plane took off, making me put it on the airplane mode.

There was only one thought on my mind the entire time – how did she die all of a sudden? A tad of grief accompanied the thoughts, but curiosity took the better of me. All I could think was 'that was certainly unpredictable', before falling into a short slumber.

O~O~O

Upon reaching my aunt's house, I was welcomed by a massive wave of sorrowful cries, melancholic memories being remembered out loud, and a group of policemen in the corner, investigating about her death, probably. But why was the police needed?

Wait, don't tell me she didn't die a natural death.

I searched for Riya in the crowd of teary-eyed women and silenced males, and found her in the kitchen, filling water in white, little paper cups.

"You're here!" She cried when she saw me, but not quite ceasing the work she was doing, as she continued to pour the water.

"How did she die?" I straightforwardly asked, doubting my assumptions.

Riya looked at me, and opened her mouth to speak, but her face flashed a look of thought, before she pursed her lips and resumed doing her work.

"What? Are you gonna ignore me now?" I asked, frustrated. There was no reason to keep things disclosed from me.

"No, but..." she hesitated, "the police say that she was murdered."

"What?!" I shrieked in utter astonishment. Now that was called 'unpredictable'. I continued, "How? When? Where?"

"They're still investigating. I suggest you to change into something more appropriate for the gathering here, and just stop asking things now." She advised, as she arranged the cups on a wide tray.

"Why? We need to get to the bottom of this-"

"Look, everyone's really devastated. After your parents... no one expected this. They're shaken, and not in the mood to answer questions. The police are here to do that. Please, don't." She snapped, and carried the tray to the gathering in the hall, leaving me alone in the small compartment.

"Hey," she called out from outside, and I turned to her, "Get changed." And she walked off. I looked down at my skinny black jeans and my light blue crop top, worn over black spaghetti, covering my waist. While here in India, we were supposed to wear white at someone's funeral. Yeah, definitely not appropriate.

I took a taxi to my old house, and while in the car, I read the messages I had received from Natsume:

I'm sorry for your aunt. Did you get to know how that happened? (Received: 5:59 PM)

I'm coming to India by the next flight. (Received: 6:07 PM)

Also, Tsubaki and Azusa are tagging along, idk why. Ugh. (Received: 6:10 PM)

I texted back: Riya says that she was murdered. But something isn't adding up. ATM, investigations are on. Oh, and it's completely okay if they're coming too :)

The taxi stopped before the building I was supposed to enter, and I paid the fare and hurriedly climbed up the stairs. The building was surprisingly calm; no faint noises of television going on, no yells of arguments, no cries of young babies. It seemed as if the building was deserted, and the darkness of the night didn't reduce the desolating aura. I turned the building's only light bulb on, and climbed on further to reach my apartment.

Upon opening the main door, I was greeted with an even darker place, seeing which made shivers go up your spine. It felt as if I was in a haunted house, and I wasted no time in turning on the hall's light, and I dropped my belongings on the sofa.

I went into the kitchen to fetch myself a glass of water, and whilst drinking it, my gaze landed on a note stuck to the refrigerator's wall. In huge, bold, block letters, it said: You were warned.

I dropped the glass of water in shock, and then came a shattering sound. That of a glass. My eyes were focused solely on the note, the black-inked letters. I was warned, but when, and what about? And who entered my home while I was gone? Only I had the keys, right?

But something wasn't adding up. No one would go as far as to break into someone's house just for a momentary play. The matter was bound to be serious. But who could plot against me? I had the ties perfectly strong with everyone in India, didn't I?

Yet, I had received the news of my aunt being murdered, and then this note. Who could have bad blood against both of us? My uncle? No, he was supposed to be in prison-

No, he was sentenced two years of punishment, and two years had passed already.

That meant... his punishment was over. And he was the one who had murdered his own wife, my aunt.

And he was the one out there to kill me.

Bile rose to my throat at that thought, but I pushed it down. That might only be an assumption, right?

...Right?

Who was I trying to convince? There was my uncle, threatening me indirectly to kill me, and I was standing like statue, still contemplating whether I was being logical or not. What was wrong with me?

And that was the moment when fear crept up my spine, and I actually realized what kind of situation I was in. I stood still, soaked up in fear, and the slight trembling of my arm went unnoticed by me. I was analyzing everything around me – the tables, the crockery sets, the sofas, the decorative pieces, the awards from my childhood – only to scream when I heard someone lightly scratching my door.

The scratching continued, so i grabbed a knife off the counter from the kitchen, and tip-toed to the door. In a fury, I opened the door, ready to attack, when I found a cat scratching the edges of my door. It was Ruffy, Priyanka's cat. What was he doing at my doorstep?

I opened the door and bent down to his level, and ruffled his fur, to which he purred. What a way to reduce tension at such a crucial time (get the sarcasm)!

"Wait, lemme get you something." I tried my best to not sound frightening and got up, and found a little bowl, and poured one of those tetra-packs of milk into it, hoping that it hadn't expired.

I returned to the door, and when I found that he was gone, I stepped out of the door, and temporarily locked it with a sliding lock, the one which didn't require a key. I descended down a few stairs, where I found it curled up in the corner, and placed the bowl before him. He meowed and began with his meal.

Right at that moment, I received a call from Natsume, and was pushed back into the terrifying reality.

"Hello?" I answered quietly.

"Hey, where are you? At your home or at your aunt's? We've reached, and are in the cab at the moment." He replied, and I was so relieved to hear his voice.

"I-I'm at my house, and please, Natsume, hurry up. I d-don't feel good." I managed to say, trying not to sound afraid, and walked to my apartment, so busy in the phone call that I didn't notice that the sliding lock was undone, and the door was open.

"What's wrong, Sabrina? We're gonna reach in about five minutes anyway. And oh, here's the traffic." he asked, concern evident in his tone.

"I... There's... My uncle is gonna kill me, he's- AGH!" I cried, when I received a sharp blow to the back of my head, once I had entered through the door, and dropped my phone. I looked behind me to find its source, and saw a nasty looking man holding a heavy wooden stick, and locking the main door.

"What happened!? Sabrina, are you there?! I'm running, Sabrina! Are you okay? Hello?..." Natsume screamed through the phone that had been dropped to the floor, now audible to that man as well, since I was busy holding the back of my head. It hurt so badly.

From the dark corners and lobby, there emerged three more men, and then my uncle, wearing an evil grin on his lips, holding some sort of weapon in their hands – iron rods, knives, and blades. I drew my hand to my face, and saw that there were spots of blood from the wound I had gotten on my head.

"Sabrina! Are you there? I'm coming, I'm just-" Natsume's panicky voice was cut down by another dark-haired man deliberately stepping on the phone and crushing it, breaking the device to pieces. There went my last hope.

Even though I had commenced feeling light-headed and dizzy, I still knew that I had to keep fighting and escape my nightmare. I was surrounded by those men from three sides, my fourth side being a wall, against which I was leaning on. Next to my head was the MCB of the house, and I knew nothing better than to strike a punch to it, and as soon as I did, all the lights went off, and that was the opportunity for me to make a run for it.

Since the main door was guarded, I went to the next nearest room – the kitchen, and hid behind the refrigerator. From the adjacent counter, I saw the knife that I had held back when I thought Ruffy was the killer, and I grabbed it again.

I heard them muttering curses, and my uncle telling them to search for me. They turned on the flashlights, perhaps from their phones, and while I wanted to whimper in pain, feeling even more blood trickling down my back, and cry out loud just for being in the situation I was in, I slammed a hand over my mouth, and wept noiselessly, leaning against the wall behind me.

Natsume, where were you?

But on second thoughts, I couldn't risk him getting there. These men had weapons, and would sure kill him too. No, no, no, I couldn't let them kill him. I had to be strong and face them, even though that seemed a stupid idea, but that was the only way to save him. Sure enough, they would kill me and go away, right? What else would they wait for, getting hunted down by my family?

There was a small ray of light passing through the kitchen, and I held my breath and stood still, and closed my eyes, even though the tears couldn't stop falling. The pain was getting harder, I needed some medication for the wound, and perhaps Natsume to hold me and tell me that it was all going to be fine, and that I was going to get out alive, and that we would never return to this place. My heart was beating out of my chest; I was scared out of my mind, and I was paranoid that the person in the kitchen might have heard me, when he clicked his tongue and exited the kitchen, and went off to another room.

I peeped out, and from the furthest corner possible, I saw that the one who hit me with the stick was still guarding the door. He did not have any flashlight around him, so it was the perfect chance for me to stab him and run off. There was no one around, so as quietly as possible, I tip-toed to him, and then stabbed him with all my force.

He screamed, which invited all the others in the apartment, and I tried to push him away and run off, but he was holding my wrist so hard that my grip on the knife was loosening. "Let go!" I whisper-shouted, but he loosely shook his head, trying to get the knife out of his system.

"Aha, there she is!" My uncle said, and turned me around by my shoulders. I took hold of the knife again, and tried to pass it through his body, aiming for his chest, but my weak blow was nothing compared to his strong hold, when he held my forearm by force, and evaded my attack.

"Ughh!" I cried, struggling to get my hand out of his grasp, when someone struck the back of my head again – this time, with something heavier, maybe an iron rod that I had seen earlier – and I completely let myself loose, quitting any sense of fighting, because that blow was excruciating, to say the least.

The immediate reflexes were to grab my head again, and I bended over in pain, falling on my knees. This time, the blood was flowing freely, and my hands must've been soaked by it, but I couldn't get a chance to check, when my uncle's laughter sounded in my ears, to my utter disdain, and he picked me up by my arm forcefully. And upon seeing me freely crying in pain, he doubled over in joy, and then picked me up with my neck, squeezing it.

I couldn't breathe. I had already been breathing erratically, and this move wasn't the wisest for me, and I struggled lightly against him grasp. By that time, I was already losing the control of my senses, and my eyes were shut in fear. I felt the ground beneath my vanishing, and then I was swaying... till the time I felt my body cross a cold metal, and then freely in the air. I opened my eyes, and saw him victoriously smirking, and then he whispered, "Goodbye."

With that, the hold at my neck came undone, and then I was falling down... the air rushing past me... and for a fraction of a second, I felt that I had actually died, and was in heaven... and then a hard blow to my entire body as I met the uneven, rough ground.

I was losing my vision. I was losing my energy. I tried to prop myself up with my hands, but they hardly moved. I tried to force myself to sit up, but it felt like I was paralyzed.

No, I couldn't lose the fight, my subconscious mind reminded me, and I struggled to turn my head to the side, which I successfully did.

Blood. The red substance I felt beneath me, flowing on the ground, wetting the dry land. That was when I realized that it was mine, I was going to die.

But I couldn't die. I couldn't, I couldn't, and I couldn't. I wasn't brought up to lose fights, especially such a crucial one. Tears cascaded down my cheeks, onto the sides, mixing with my blood.

"...Sabrina..."I heard a faint voice calling out to me. Wait, I had heard that before.

The sound of footsteps increased, until I felt someone beside me, propping me up on their lap. "Sabrina..." the person cried.

I had heard his soothing voice before, but my mind was shutting down. Was it... Natsume?

"Please... stay with me..." a wet drop fell on my skin, and someone grasped my hand again – not in the way they had done when they were torturing me, but in a relieving manner. And I had felt that touch before.

Finally... it was Natsume...

I tried to lift my eyes up to meet his gaze, but when I did, my vision was blurred. I saw only a chaos of orange hair and fair skin, and the colors were shaking, being overtaken by blackness.

I felt my body going cold, and the pain was agonizing, and so was the thought – that I was going to die. I couldn't lose the battle, no, and I couldn't lose Natsume. I had a life planned ahead of me, didn't I?

"Don't... go..." the voice was fading, and so were the colors.

Just silence, now, just silence.

And the darkness seemed so attractive, despite the labyrinth of pain I was stuck in. It was sucking me in, embracing me lovingly.

But I couldn't let go just yet. I fought hard, and I tried, yes.

But I couldn't let go.

This wasn't going to be the end of me.

 _To be continued..._

* * *

 **OHKAYYYYY ARE YOU CRYING, BABY? PLEASE DON'T BEAT ME UP; I HAD THIS ENDING PLANNNED BEFOREHAND, EVEN BEFORE PLANNING OUT THE NAME OF THE CHARACTER.**

 **Really, how was it? And don't tell me that you aren't going to review this story now. I mean, come on, this is the last chapter of the first book, okay? Be good, hehe.**

 **Alsooooo, a HUGE, HUGE, HUGE thanks to all those who continued to read this story, despite all the errors and faults in it. Thank you, guys, I wouldn't have been able to come this far without your continued support. You all made my mornings good, and my nights even greater with the comments that you posted. Seriously, I mean it, I love you all, and a thanks isn't just enough, but what else do I even have?**

 **LOVE YOUUUUU! xx**

 **ANDDDDD here's the sequel:**

 _ **COLOR ME RED**_

' _ **Love is an obsession. It's the madness that runs in your veins.' Love, for the Asahina's, caused destruction, and so it did for Sasha Morgan, the look-alike of Sabrina. Living in a lunatic asylum, she can only fall even deeper and insanely in love with her mafia, Josh Richardson. And now, it's all up to the Asahina's to save her from ruining herself, more than she has already done. How did she end up there? What's her story? And what will the Asahina's do?**_

 _ **On the other hand, something is happening to Natsume – something bad. He's losing his sanity; he's haunted by her. How will he survive?**_

 _ **Angsty, tragic, psychotic, yet beautiful; it shows the other side of love, the unvisited one. It's full of romance – the one that will leave you at the edge, hanging for more.**_

 **[EDIT: I'll be writing two sequels, both in alternate universes. The first one would be _Color Me Red_. The other one is _Colorful Visions_ ; here's the summary: **

_**COLORFUL VISIONS**_

 ** _Chaos ensues at Sunrise Residence when, after a horrific attempt of murder by her uncle, Sabrina survives still, but loses her memory. Now, reverted back to the time when she lost her parents, the Asahinas know that it's the beginning of a new, full-blow romantic saga yet again._ ]**

 **And I need to make sure that I'll be taking a little break (about a month or so) till I figure out the sequel completely and write a couple chapters.**

 **Till then, a massive thank you again for complying with me and this story, and be ready for more!**

 **All the love,  
DiamondShyn**


	49. AN: NEED YOU HERE

Hey all! It's me again!

So, I haven't gotten a pretty impressive outlook on the popularity of _Color Me Red,_ and I'm not complaining, since it wasn't matching the standards of this story (at least!).

So, I thought - why not ask the readers if I should post a some spin-off fluffs between Sabrina and Natsume (before she died, obvio). What do you guys say?

 **I'll be waiting!**

Regards,  
Diamond Shyn


	50. AN: FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT (IMPORTANT)

hey, again!

so, after the responses, I've decided that this story is going to have two sequels: one of them is Color Me Red, which massively flopped, and the other would be Colorful Visions, in which (thanks to a guest reviewer) Sabrina won't die, but lose her memory. It will be fun-filled, promising humor and romance.

So, idk guys, I'll be putting up both the sequels, and you check out whichever one you want.

Thanks! Hope you guys would actually read it!

Regards,  
Diamond Shyn


	51. AN: BOTH THE SEQUELS POSTED

hello! Ain't gonna disturb you again!

Just wanted to say that both the sequels, Color Me Red and Colorful Visions are out now! Read whicever one you feel like reading, and I'll forever be grateful to you.

love,  
Diamond Shyn


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